Driving Me Crazy
by LavenderEspeon
Summary: AAMR. A reunited Ash and Misty together in a car for 3 days to stop a disturbance. Fighting over a misunderstanding... What madness will ensue? R&R. ***NOW FINISHED!!***
1. Default Chapter

Driving Me Crazy Chapter 1: By LavenderEspeon  
  
I know I'm in the middle of Alicia, Alicia but I'm at a standstill for that story right now. I can't decide what will happen next. not to mention FF.Net is in read-only mode anyway :( so this is just my making-sure-I- don't-have-writer's-block fic.  
  
Disclaimer: Let's see if you can figure this one out.  
  
Summary: Five years after Ash becomes a Pokemon Master and has completed his journey, he is reunited with his female traveling companion, Misty, and the two of them, under order of Prof. Oak, are forced to take a road trip across Kanto together. (It'll make more sense after I do flashbacks and stuff)  
  
I have never seen this idea done before, and when I thought of it I thought it was a pretty good one. R&R please and tell me what you think! (Even if it sucks! I love reading flames. they make me laugh.)  
  
******* "Ring ring ring, ring ring ring, phone call, phone call!"  
  
20-year-old Ash Ketchum, still asleep at the time of the 7 am phone call, groaned and let the machine get it.  
  
"Hi," he heard his own voice say from his position on the bed. "You've reached Ash, but I'm not here right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you. oh right, if this is important, you can page me. See ya."  
  
A few seconds later, the Professor's voice broke the early morning silence of Ash's convieniently placed Viridian City home. "Ash? This is Prof. Oak. I apologize for the early wake-up call, but I need to ask you a favor. Once you've woken up, could you swing by the Lab? It's a matter of some urgency, so sometime today would be great if you could manage it. Thanks!"  
  
Ash nodded at the Professor's words, still half asleep, and rubbing his eyes, got up to begin another day. Hearing his footsteps, the yellow rodent who had graced Ash with its presence for the past ten years awoke with a cheerful "Pika!"  
  
"Hey, buddy," smiled Ash. "Did you sleep okay?" Pikachu gave a content nod.  
  
"Okay, well, would you fix some breakfast for us? I'm gonna go take a shower, then I might as well swing by the Lab. I don't think I have anything to do today." Pikachu nodded and began his Pika-sized steps into the kitchen. ***  
  
"No, Jack, like, don't kiss her! She's, like, Amethyst, Danielle's evil twin and you, like."  
  
"Ring ring ring, ring ring ring, phone call, phone call."  
  
Daisy sighed from her soap-opera-watching position on the aqua-colored couch and yelled, "Misty!! Get the phone!"  
  
Misty looked up from the piece she had been writing and walked over to the videophone.  
  
"Hello?" she said into the reciever.  
  
"Misty?" the voice answered. "This is Prof. Oak."  
  
"Oh," said Misty cheerfully, "hi Professor! What's going on?"  
  
"Well, Misty, I would actually like to ask you a favor."  
  
"Sure," Misty replied, "what do you need?"  
  
"Well," began the Prof., "I need a couple strong Pokemon trainers to go to Lavender Town for me. there's been a disturbance, the people can't sense it, but the ghost Pokemon are going nuts! Just in case it's something bad, we need strong trainers." Misty sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor. but I haven't battled since the day A-the Pokemon Master. became the Pokemon Master. I'm a journalist now."  
  
Prof. Oak looked at her through the vidphone. "Misty, you could have been an elite."  
  
"Professor."  
  
He cut her off. "You and that Pokemon Master made a great team, and you know it-"  
  
"Professor, all I wanted was my- my- all I wanted was something he stole from me."  
  
"Your bike," he said smugly. "Is what you were going to say, but didn't. Because he stole something else from you, didn't he Misty." the Professor's voice got softer progressively.  
  
"All I ever wanted was my bike."  
  
"He stole your heart. You know he did."  
  
Misty closed her eyes briefly, looked at the Professor and said, "This isn't relevant!" and would have said more if she hadn't seen a shadow of a guilty look pass over the old Professor's face.  
  
"Professor, is there something you're not telling me- wait," said Misty suspiciously, "did you say a COUPLE people have to go?"  
  
".well.yeah.." murmured the Prof.  
  
"Are you telling me you got A-"  
  
"I have to go, Misty, I have a visitor. I would appreciate it if you could come to the Lab soon. Bye!"  
  
"PROFESSOR PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T." But her efforts were futile- he had hung up.  
  
*** (late morning- the Lab in Pallet)  
  
As soon as Samuel Oak heard a Pidgeot squawk, around 10 a.m., he knew his visitor had arrived. "Ash," he thought calmly, hanging the phone up and walking out into the front to greet the young Pokemon master.  
  
"Ash!" he addressed the young man cheerfully. "How have you been? It seems like you're doing pretty well for yourself."  
  
Ash smiled and nodded, and the Prof. noted how much he had grown up since winning in the League. His hair was still always messy, but it fit his face well, and he had turned out rather handsomely. The Professor knew for a fact he had quite a legion of female admirers, however, he was still single, even though he had the admiration of people like Alison Jennings, a very famous Kanto model, although, granted, Samuel understood that Ash wouldn't date someone based solely on how pretty they were.  
  
Answering the Prof.'s earlier question and statement, Ash replied, "I'm great, Professor. My life is going really well, what with all the promotion I'm getting and all of that." The Professor nodded.  
  
"It sounds perfect."  
  
"Well," murmured Ash thoughtfully, "I really wouldn't say perfect. Anyway, I got your message. What was it you needed me to do?"  
  
"I need you and a. friend of mine. to drive to Lavender Town to investigate a mystery that has to do with the ghost Pokemon." Ash gave a low whistle.  
  
"That's pretty far away, Professor. Couldn't we use our bird Pokemon to just fly there? I mean, using Pidgeot I could get there in a couple of hours. driving it would take around 3 days."  
  
"I know, Ash, but the thing is, part of the disturbance is that- well, I don't want to scare you, but. you know that not very many planes fly over Lavender Town, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Since this started two weeks ago, only three planes have crossed over it. But all three planes that have. have crashed before reaching their destination fully. I can only imagine what would happen to a bird Pokemon."  
  
"Oh," said Ash, "I see your point."  
  
Prof. Oak was now nervously pacing the room. He knew Ash would be up for the Lavender Town challenge.  
  
The challenge of his investigative partner was another story, and that was the next thing the Professor had to break to him.  
  
"Professor, why are you so nervous all of the sudden?" asked Ash, noticing the sudden furrowing of the old Professor's brow.  
  
"Um, Ash. you remember when I said a friend of mine would be joining you?"  
  
"Yes, Professor, but if you're worried I won't like them, I promise to work with them even if I don't, because obviously you chose them for a reason."  
  
"On the contrary, Mr. Ketchum, it's not that you'll hate her that worries me," muttered Prof. Oak under his breath.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Ash shrugged. "So, anyway, what's his name?"  
  
"Her," corrected the Professor, "and you will meet her later. She'll be coming over shortly."  
  
"Okay," replied Ash.  
  
"That is, I hope she will," murmured Oak, turning his back on Ash and asking, "Would you like some tea, Ash?"  
  
"No thanks, Professor, tea isn't really my cup of. er, I mean."  
  
"Tea isn't really your cup of tea?" grinned the Professor, amused.  
  
"Something to that extent." Ash replied sheepishly. "But if it's not too much trouble, Pikachu would like some ketchup, I think." That statement was confirmed with a loud and enthusiastic "Pika!"  
  
"Coming right up!" replied the Prof.  
  
(AN: This is something I would have liked to have happen whenever someone was at the door in Pokemon. it never did ()  
  
"Ding dong ding, ding dong ding, doorbell, doorbell!" chimed the door. (Hey, if the phone can do it. ^-^) Professor Oak tossed the ketchup bottle to Ash on his way to the door.  
  
***  
  
Misty rang the doorbell and waited, looking around the front yard for some sign of that Pokemon Master, and sighing in obvious relief when she saw no car in the driveway.  
  
As the door swung open, the Professor took in the young woman who was Misty Waterflower, who had replaced the scrawny tomboy with a temper fitting for her hair color. Who was no longer graced the runt by her sisters, but almost shunned by them, for she had committed a crime worse than any they could have imagined-  
  
She had become more beautiful than them, in more ways than one.  
  
"Hello, Misty," he said with a warm smile, which she returned. When she was a pre-teen, she had wondered how this nice man could be mean Gary's grandfather. As she grew up and as Ash won the League title, Gary's hostility grew less and less and somehow, Misty saw more of Samuel Oak in Gary every time she saw him. He was friends with Ash, and had become good friends with Misty, and maybe even had a little crush on her, though they both knew it would never be anything more. In any case, she talked to him often, and she had hoped maybe the other person, the capable trainer, would be Gary. She wouldn't mind going with him.  
  
Damn Ash. She would love to be on a mission with him. That's why she hated him so much. She loved him so much that she hated him.  
  
"Misty.?" said the Professor, bringing her back to earth.  
  
"Oh. sorry, hello Professor," she replied, "I was kind of off in dreamland."  
  
"It's all right," he replied. "Let's talk out here, in the fresh air, shall we?" His immensely relieved expression when she agreed didn't go unnoticed by the water Pokemon trainer. "I'm just about off the hook."  
  
"Is there something you're not telling me, Professor?" she inquired, looking at him deeply. He didn't plan to dodge the question. He opened his mouth to answer-  
  
And Ash opened the screen door. "Professor, where did you go off to all of a-"  
  
Misty looked at him. The Professor looked guiltily at his feet.  
  
Barely breathing, Ash finished his sentence. "-sudden?"  
  
"Ash," whispered Misty meekly.  
  
He looked deep into her eyes.  
  
***  
  
Hehehe- that's all you're getting until next chapter! This is going to be my first really long chapter fic. I hope you like it. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. I'm not sure how this is gonna turn out when it's finished- it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment idea. (Although it took me 3 days to write..)  
  
But it doesn't even matter cuz FF.net is down!! (  
  
*sinks into a chair and sobs* Anyways. I have decided I won't continue until I get at least 10 reviews. Even if you want to flame me, review! But please note that once you flame me, I can choose to do whatever I want with them. I think I'll compile them and write my retaliations. :P  
  
I'll make you a deal- you review for me, and if it's a signed review (or if you're just an author too lazy to sign in.) I'll go do a review for you. Deal? Okay.  
  
So, buh bye for now!! I'm glad I have no writer's block ^-^  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	2. Ch. 2

Driving Me Crazy Chapter 2: Driven by Love (don't you just love my creative chapter names?)  
  
Author's Notes: The disclaimer is on the first chapter, you know what it's about. oh, right! This is the flashback chapter! I finally figured out what to do on chapter 2 of Alicia, Alicia so that's all better, yay! And to all the people who reviewed. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! *dances around the room and stops when she realizes everyone is staring at her* Um. I care about reviews a lot. ^-^  
  
Okay, so. without further pointless ramblings from me, the fanfic! As always, R&R (or else! Hehe)  
  
*** Previously.  
  
(to summarize) Ash and Misty were called by Prof. Oak to find out what was wrong with the Ghost Pokemon in Lavender Town, the only catch was they had to drive due to part of the disturbance (see prev. chapter for more detailed description). and besides that, they finally found out who the other 'strong trainers' were- each other. In this chapter find out why Ash and Misty are so reluctant and other things like that!  
  
***  
  
"I-" began Ash and blinked. "You- I mean- Professor, who is she- and you were telling me that we had to take a car. wait, Misty?" he stumbled, hardly believing the woman in front of him was Misty. His Misty. God, last time he'd seen her.  
  
**FLASHBACK ALERT**FLASHBACK ALERT**  
  
The crowd screamed. The green trainer screamed. The announcer screamed.  
  
And from his place on the field, fifteen-year-old Ash sat down right there in the grass, completely stunned. After the yelling, the announcer was silent for a few seconds before speaking, completely amazed.  
  
"And the winner- and youngest champ ever in the history of. well, any league. fifteen-year-old Ash Ketchum."  
  
The next thing the trainer knew, the crowd was gone, the losing trainers were apparently not about to come see him, and he was in the huge front of the Indigo Plateau with no one but his Pokemon and nothing but his huge golden trophy and a certificate.  
  
Then he heard a voice, and his ears perked up. "Ash!" Misty yelled, her hair disheveled, her eyes shining, her cheeks very slightly red. She didn't even bother stopping when she got to him, she just threw her arms around him and he smiled to himself and hugged her back. They didn't stay like that for too long, but instead Misty broke the hug and stared at him.  
  
"Battle me, Ash," she said abruptly, "please?" He grinned easily and replied,  
  
"There's my Misty. I don't even get a congratulations."  
  
"I gave you a hug," she countered quickly. "Besides, you know I'm proud of you." He shrugged and nodded. Then she stepped back and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"So, ya gonna battle me?"  
  
"You know I'll win," he sighed.  
  
"So sue me. So what?" He gave her a look, which she returned. Then, looking at him deeply, she whispered, "Please. Look, I'm asking you nicely. Please, Ash."  
  
"Okay," he said, staring back at her.  
  
They battled. It was three on three. He won by one hit. (AN: Yeah, yeah, short description, but it's really not that important, and I didn't feel like typing it.)  
  
They returned their Pokemon, and still neither of them had said a word since Ash had agreed.  
  
That's when he took a few long, quick strides in and kissed her. Not longer than maybe 5 seconds, not wrapping her in his arms or stroking her hair, but it was loving, if not passionate.  
  
After that, he stared at her. She stared at him. Finally, she asked him, "What was that for?"  
  
He looked down briefly, then back up. He smiled nervously. "Hey- I am your best friend. Do I have to have a reason to kiss you?"  
  
"You have to have a reason to kiss me like that," she murmured.  
  
He thought a moment. "Well, maybe I do."  
  
"Well, then, what is it?"  
  
"Um. I plead the Fifth."  
  
"You don't even know what the Fifth is."  
  
"I know that I can plead it."  
  
She blinked, and finally, she agreed with him. "Okay, fine." He nearly fell over where he was standing. Did that girl just let him win an argument?  
  
He didn't get time to think about it, in any case. "Mr. Ketchum! How does it feel to be the youngest Master ever?"  
  
"Mr. Ketchum, are you proud of your Pikachu?"  
  
"Is this girl your coach?"  
  
"Is this girl your girlfriend?"  
  
Then he saw a white lab coat and Samuel Oak pushed through the crowd with Ash's mother. "Oh, sweetie, we're all so proud of you!" Delia gushed, and Professor Oak put a hand on Ash's shoulder and said, "It's time for the induction ceremony, Ash." Ash nodded and looked back at Misty, standing quietly behind the sudden wave of paparazzi.  
  
"Mist!" he yelled and waved. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled something. The paparazzi all turned suddenly. It got much quieter.  
  
Ash didn't know what she's said, so he shook his head and mouthed, "What?" But her face got a very downcast look, and she walked quickly out of the stadium.  
  
That was the last time Ash had ever seen her.  
  
***END FLASHBACK***  
  
.until now.  
  
She'd gotten prettier. He hadn't thought it possible. She had a look of utter shock on her face, and the Prof. got up quickly and said hurriedly, "Ash, you know Misty, Misty, Ash, I'm really sorry to spring this on both of you, yes, you will be working together and maybe you should get going, the sooner you leave the sooner you'll be there." Misty's mouth, slightly open, tried to form a sentence, but didn't even come up with a sound.  
  
After he'd humiliated her, she thought maybe he'd have the decency to apologize. He was her best friend, even if he didn't love her.  
  
She was surprised at the Professor's easiness around them both. He'd been there, too, although, come to think of it, there had been no story on Ash being cold-hearted despite all the paparazzi. Even Ash's mother hadn't mentioned anything to her. For God's sake, she told the boy she was in love with him! She'd screamed it with her hands cupped around her mouth! The paparazzi had turned, and the questions had ceased, but hey, he'd just won the title. They didn't care. Delia and Prof. Oak had no reason to care.  
  
She supposed Ash didn't care. He'd looked at her with some emotion that she hadn't been able to read etched over his facial features- surprise? Disbelief? Maybe even rejection, as much as she didn't want it to be. She'd been stupid to do it. She'd never been able to tell him alone, but with all those people?  
  
It was just that kiss- it had scrambled her brain to the point of, well, temporary insanity.  
  
With the Professor waiting for an answer, and Ash and Misty lost in their own thoughts, there had been silence on the porch for quite a while. Finally, Ash spoke:  
  
"Uh..maybe we should go inside." The Professor agreed, and Misty followed them without comment. She had decided she had no say anyway.  
  
Once the door had been closed and the three people were seated, Professor Oak turned to them and looked at them both sternly. "Look," he said, "I do not know what happened between you two-"  
  
"How could he not know!?" screamed Misty's brain, and she shook her head vigorously in order to concentrate on what he was saying.  
  
"-but there are very few trainers I know stronger than you two, and very few than make a better team- or that did, anyway. That's why I picked you. You're the best for the job. If you really, really are opposed to going, I'm not going to make you. But this isn't about you, it's about the ghost Pokemon."  
  
They both looked at him.  
  
"So?" he queried. "What do you say?"  
  
"I'm in," Ash replied, glancing at the redhead. Professor Oak shifted his gaze to Misty. She shifted uncomfortably, then bit her bottom lip and shook her head, giving in.  
  
"Okay. I'll go."  
  
"Good!" praised the Professor happily. "You'll leave tomorrow morning. You can take my car, it won't be recognizable to reporters and is less conspicuous. Meet back here tomorrow, 8 a.m." Both Misty and Prof. Oak heard Ash's slight groan at the words '8 a.m.', and Misty smiled in spite of herself. "Still as lazy as ever, eh Ketchum?" she grinned under her breath. But both trainers agreed, and they all walked out. Misty got in her car. Ash got on his Pidgeot. Misty floored it, and Ash told Pidgeot where to go.  
  
Professor Oak watched them curiously. "There was a time they couldn't stand to be apart," he said to himself, shook his head, and slowly walked into the Lab, the floorboards creaking in a manner which seemed to be louder than usual.  
  
*** And that's the name of that tune. Can you believe they haven't talked in 5 years because of a misunderstanding? Hehe, at least I didn't do a cliffhanger this time. Hmm, I'll have to do a good one next chapter ^-^ Okay, well I hope you liked it so far, all my reviews have been good so far so... yeah. Next chapter, A&M start their journey! 


	3. Ch. 3

Driving Me Crazy Chapter 3 (I've given up on the chapter names, the title was hard enough ^-^)  
  
***  
  
Wow, so far all the reviews I've gotten have been really good. glad you all like it! It inspires me to write more, so in turn, the parts get finished faster and everyone's happy! Don'tcha love it when that happens? ^- ^ Well, I have nothing to say, except I'm kinda making this part up as I go, so happy reading!  
  
***  
  
Yank.  
  
Ash heard a shade being pulled up, and sunlight streamed into his vision. "PI!" yelled Pikachu at the top of his voice.  
  
"Who needs an alarm clock when they've got you," he muttered, not completely pleasantly. The rodent debated whether or not it should shock him into oblivion, and finally decided he could always do that while they were in the car, if the need arised.  
  
Sluggishly, Ash got up and glanced at the clock beside the bed.  
  
7:50.  
  
"Shit," he gasped, realizing he had ten minutes to get up, dressed, shower, brush his teeth and attempt to brush his hair, pack his things for the trip, and hightail it to Pallet. Pikachu laughed hysterically as the poor guy frantically ran around, trying to multi-task his daily morning routine. "Pika pi chu chu pika cha," murmured Pikachu. This is going to be one interesting trip.  
  
***  
  
Misty, on the other hand, was already at the Professor's at the time Ash woke up, and was trying to negotiate without giving away her reason for wanting to.  
  
"But, I mean, couldn't we take two separate cars?"  
  
"That is a good idea-" Misty grinned, thinking she finally got somewhere- "except I only have one car."  
  
"But I have a car!" wailed Misty.  
  
"With tinted windows so no one will recognize you?" She shook her head sadly. "Misty, what if Team Rocket's behind this? You think they wouldn't recognize you without tinted windows? Besides, two cars going the same way for hundreds of miles would look suspicious."  
  
Misty blinked. "Well, I suppose."  
  
"Anyway," the Professor said, looking at her skeptically, "you can't tell me you hate the idea of driving with him, because you don't."  
  
"*He* does."  
  
"Did you ask him?"  
  
"Don't have to." Prof. Oak sighed exasperatedly. "I don't get why you're so sure he hates you. He was your best friend for five years! Besides, did you see the way he looked at you?" He looked away, but still managed to see the young woman roll her eyes. She started to retaliate, but never actually got a chance to finish.  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry," gasped Ash, running in the door with Pikachu running after him. "Got- up- 7:50- had to hurry."  
  
"It's all right, Ash," answered the Professor calmly, "Misty and I were just discussing a few things until you came. Have you got everything?" Ash regained the normal use of his vocal cords. "Yeah, I think so." Then, turning to Misty, he said quietly, "Hey, Misty."  
  
"Ash," she answered, nodding coolly. Ash frowned, confused. It was strange. She hadn't seemed happy to see him yesterday, and today it was worse. Had he done something to insult her? Did he stink or something? He made a mental note to, well, sniff himself if he got the chance.  
  
"Well," announced Professor Oak, "I think you two should get going. You have a lot of ground to cover and you want to get there as soon as possible." Ash nodded and Misty shrugged indifferently. Glancing at the stuff on the ground, Ash said, "I can get the stuff." He picked up his suitcase and pulled out the handle on Misty's to wheel it along, and walked out the door. Misty got up to follow him.  
  
After Ash had walked out the door, the Professor said, "Oh, and Misty?" She turned to look at him.  
  
"Be good."  
  
"I'll try," she said with a wry grin. The Professor turned and walked into the kitchen as she walked out the door.  
  
***  
  
By the time Misty got into the car and buckled up, Ash was waiting in the driver's seat with the engine started. She glared at him.  
  
"Why is it that you assume you get to drive?"  
  
He smiled teasingly at her. "Do you want to fight with me over it, like when we were kids?" Damn it, Ketchum, do you have to smile like that? She wanted to say it, but of course she kept her mouth shut.  
  
After a few moments of silence, he figured she wasn't going to respond to that, and backed out of the driveway.  
  
By this time, Pikachu was already asleep in the backseat. (o^-^o)  
  
They drove along in silence for five minutes before Ash said uncomfortably, "Uh- so, Misty, what have you been up to lately? I mean, I haven't seen you in so long-"  
  
"Yeah," she said coldly. "Well, I live at the Gym with my sisters, and I do the battles when a challenger comes. Other than that, I'm a journalist. I write for the Cerulean Times." Ash nodded brightly. "That's cool."  
  
"So, what about you? Besides defending your title, what do you do in your spare time?" Nice move, Mist, she said sarcastically to herself. Not only did you sound pathetically interested, he's probably going to tell you all about his wonderful girlfriend who he lives with and loves so much. And furthermore, you're jealous. I am so pathetic, she thought.  
  
"Actually-" Misty barely stopped herself from cringing, like his words were going to reach out and strike her. "Not much. I train, sometimes I do interviews and that kind of thing..." Misty blinked and restrained the sigh of relief. "Oh. So, no gir-" she began, then cursed in her head. How could you ask him if he has a girlfriend? You're not going down that road again. This time, hoping he'll let you down easy with a nice I-like-you-but-can't-we-just-be-friends speech?, she yelled at herself.  
  
"What?" he asked, looking at her and returning his gaze to the road.  
  
"Nothing," she answered. "Just forget I said anything." There was a definite note of relief in her voice.  
  
They drove along in silence for another 15 minutes or so. Then:  
  
"Hey, Mist?"  
  
"Ash, could you not call me that?" For once, he was glad he didn't have to look at her. Though he didn't say it to her, that hurt.  
  
There was a long pause. They saw the sign for Viridian.  
  
"Oh- um- I mean- okay. Sorry Mist- um, Misty." He didn't need to say anything. Misty, she said to herself, you are such a bitch. Look, you hurt his feelings. How could you do that? She closed her eyes and after a few seconds, wondered, Why do I keep talking to myself?  
  
There was another long pause. Absently, Misty got out a road map and played with the edges. Finally, the silence began to bother her. They were somewhere on the route to Pewter by now. She calculated they must have been driving for an hour and a half. (AN: Forgive me, I know that seems a little long and everything, but I have to make time elapse so that the silence bothers them and they're forced to make conversation. Thank you for excusing my bad judgement on distance. ^-^)  
  
"What were you going to say, Ash?"  
  
"...never mind."  
  
"All right."  
  
"But since we're talking anyway, er- have you-" he wracked his brain for conversation topics. "-seen any good movies lately?" Lame, Ketchum, he sighed to himself.  
  
"None that you would be interested in," she snapped. So we're back to this again, he thought. He noticed the sign: "Pewter City welcomes you!" He glanced at the clock: 10:12 am. He looked sideways at Misty. Her face was cloudy and void of emotion.  
  
By 1:30 pm, the last thing that had been said was a timid comment from Ash about the sign from Cerulean City, responded to by a sarcastic comment from Misty about how he had finally learned to read fluently, huh? And that was about a half hour ago. (AN: Hey, have you looked at the Kanto map in the first Pokemon handbook? Man, those cities look far apart! It looks like it *would* take 3 hours to get from Pewter to Cerulean!) They had gotten out of the largely populated part of the city by now, and Ash's stomach was growling.  
  
"Hey Misty," he said, "I'm hungry. Do you know of any place good to eat?"  
  
"Anywhere's fine," she answered airily. "So, do you still inhale your food or do you chew it now?" He glared at her. This was really starting to annoy him. He turned off in the nearest place he saw.  
  
Wordlessly, they both got out of the car, Ash waking Pikachu before they went in. Misty waited, surprisingly, instead of storming into the restaurant without bothering to stop, but Ash didn't comment at the risk of jeopardizing his luck, which hadn't been too good as it was.  
  
They walked into the restaurant, and almost immediately people started to clap and cheer for the Pokemon master and the well-known reporter. They both smiled graciously, but didn't comment when a couple people started to yell.  
  
"Hey, you two on a date?"  
  
"Gonna interview him, Misty? That's a story I'd like to read!"  
  
Shaking her head and waving at the person who had shouted last (she knew him, though not well), they sat down in a both and waited for the waitress.  
  
Luckily, the waitress was quick. They didn't really know how long they could sit there without talking.  
  
"Okay, what'll you have?" she said, turning first to Misty. Misty told her: a sub sandwich and a dish of chocolate ice cream (AN: mmm ^-^ and yeah I know what they ordered isn't important but I'm kinda hungry and feel like talking about food). The waitress turned to Ash.  
  
"What about you, cutie?" He smiled at her and Misty put her menu up to her face and rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'll have a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese, and a bottle of ketchup." The waitress furrowed her brow but didn't comment.  
  
"'Kay, I'll be right back."  
  
Both of them waited nervously, trying to avoid each other's eyes, and both lost in thought. Ash was still trying to figure out what he had done to the girl, and Misty was yelling at herself for not getting over him (again).  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the food did come. Ash licked his lips and devoured one pizza slice in ten seconds flat. Misty smiled to herself: "some things never change."  
  
The meal was over in less than ten minutes... we all know how fast Ash can eat and how fast Misty can eat ice cream. (^-^)  
  
Then the next one came: Ash put his credit card calmly on the table and Misty sighed, "Excuse me!?"  
  
"What?" he sighed irritably, thinking, what now?  
  
"Are you completely sexist, Ash Ketchum? You think I can't even pay for my own meal? Who the hell do you think you are?" He said, "Fine. You pay."  
  
"What!? You're not going to pay for my food? Some gentleman you are." He finally just took his credit card and walked out to the car. Hadn't she outgrown this stupid fighting? How could she have outgrown it when she was fifteen and then started it up again?  
  
He and Pikachu sat there, waiting for her. Finally, he turned to the yellow rodent and said,  
  
"I don't get it. What did I do to her?" The Pokemon shook it's head sadly. "Pika pi cha chu pika." I don't know why she's so mean to you.  
  
He sighed. "Neither do I. "  
  
When she finally stalked back to the car, he turned on the engine and floored it without a word to her.  
  
"Watch it, Ketchum," she snapped, "we don't want to get arrested for reckless driving."  
  
He sighed. This was going to be one heck of a trip.  
  
***  
  
Yay, this is my longest chapter yet! I apologize for the cliffhangers, I really do, but hey, as long as they work I like 'em. Anyway, they seem like good ways to end the chapters! So, I'm glad everyone likes it. And btw, Erin-chan, you spelled continuously right. ^-^  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	4. Ch 4

Driving Me Crazy chapter 4  
  
***  
  
Hi, everyone! It's me again ^-^ Hmmm. maybe I shouldn't be trying to write romance in such a weird mood. I can tell I'm in a weird mood because I just finished singing a Celine Dion medley to my TV. Hehe- and this isn't even close to how weird I get when I get really weird! Oh well, it should be okay since it's not really romantic yet. Don't worry, love conquers all! (eventually)  
  
Happy reading!  
  
***  
  
After about another half hour of driving, Ash finally noticed that the next thing in front of them was not a city, but a very big cave. Since there was no road leading through the cave that wouldn't completely ruin the car, he pulled onto the shoulder and cursed quietly. Misty looked up.  
  
"What?" she asked him, one of the first civil things she'd said to him all day.  
  
"There's no paved road leading through the cave. Even though it's gonna take longer, we're going to have to-" he checked the map- "go back to Cerulean, go south to Saffron, then Vermilion, and from there we can go east to Lavender Town." Misty looked at him, obviously annoyed.  
  
"That's gonna take forever," she moaned.  
  
"It should be a day or two," admitted Ash.  
  
"This is all your fault, Ketchum," she said sullenly. "We all know you aren't exactly a rocket scientist with a map."  
  
"Misty?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Misty felt lower than the muddy dirt road. She felt about two centimeters tall. "I'm such a jerk," she sighed to herself.  
  
Ash abruptly turned the car around and sped off toward Cerulean.  
  
They finally got back into the largely populated area at 3:30 pm. Misty was asleep, and had leaned the seat back (AN: Pikachu's on the driver's seat side- I'm not gonna squish him!! ^-^) so that she could sleep. Ash glanced at her once they were at a stoplight. (AN: Has anyone else noticed they never had stoplights in the cities either? At least, I never saw any, does anyone know if there were any? Hehe- I could do more of this kinda thing: "Stop stop stop, stop stop stop, red light, red light!" I think every appliance should have to do that. Microwaves, answering machines, car horns... ^-^)  
  
"Amazing," he thought, "she looks so sweet. I finally understand how looks can be decieving." He pushed the accelerator as the light turned green ("go go go, go go go, green light, green light!"). Then, realizing he didn't know where to go next, he got out the map. Looking at the labeled cities, he estimated another hour to Saffron and decided they could get a hotel there for the night. He knew that they wouldn't get good hotels in main Vermilion, because of the port there, the best rooms are all on the ships and since that's what most tourists come for, the land hotels aren't too favorable. And the distance from Vermilion to Lavender Town was very long, so they wouldn't be able to make it there.  
  
He nodded, turned right at the exit which said "( Celadon City; Saffron City/Vermilion Seaside (" and sped off towards Saffron.  
  
Just then, Misty woke up. She looked at Ash, and yawned. "Hey."  
  
"Hey, Misty," he said cautiously.  
  
She didn't say anything more, and there was silence.  
  
And more silence... and more.  
  
Finally there had been silence for around an hour. Ash had begun to have a nervous twitch in his left eye, and he finally cracked and turned the radio on.  
  
I think he should have known better.  
  
"Ash, is this the kind of crap music you listen to? I hate this station! How can you listen to this? I guess you have no taste on top of everything else." The verbal abuse started again, almost immediately. He snorted and tried to concentrate.  
  
Ash looked out the window and noticed a hotel. He jerked the steering wheel sharply to the left, causing Misty to fall forward briefly, then sit back again.  
  
"I should have put my foot down when you got in the driver's seat," she grumbled. (AN: Grumbled is a funny word, isn't it? It sounds like some kind of a big mean monster... ok sorry I'll shut up)  
  
He didn't even bother replying. Pulling into a parking space, he said, "We're staying here for the night." She didn't complain, much to his surprise. "Fine," she replied, and hopped out of the car, walking briskly towards the lobby.  
  
They got inside, and the first thing they saw was a big, crystal chandelier. "Wow,"said Misty, "this is sure a nice place." Ash nodded, and they walked towards the front desk.  
  
"Hello," said Ash to the lady at the desk, "um, we don't have reservations or anything, but-"  
  
"Oh," answered the lady, smiling, "that won't be a problem. I'm sure we have a room available for the Pokemon master and his young lady friend." Ash smiled at her: ah, the perks of being famous.  
  
"Jessica," the lady called, and the two of them saw a tall, thin, slightly exotic-looking brunette turn around. She walked over to them, and answered, "Yes, Ms. Anderson?"  
  
"Could you give me a room key for Mr. Ketchum?" Jessica bit her lip and answered,  
  
"Uh- I'll do my best, but tonight is the Silph Co. convention, and that's going to be 100 minimum, you know. Hang on- let me go check." She ran off, her high heels clicking every step.  
  
Ms. Anderson facefaulted. "Mr. Ketchum, if we don't have anything there are other excellent hotels I could recommend."  
  
"Thanks, Ms. Anderson. But let's wait until Jessica comes back, I mean, there might be something." Ms. Anderson nodded and smiled. "Yes, probably. We have quite a big hotel here, you know."  
  
Just then, Jessica came back, beaming. "Well, Mr. Ketchum-" here she turned to Ash- "you're in luck. We have one room on the eighth floor, suite 100A; one on the fifteenth, suite 186B; and, well, one other suite, but I don't think you'll be wanting the honeymoon suite?" Ash laughed. "No." *I wish.*  
  
"And-" Ash began-  
  
"We'll take both of the other two," cut in Misty, "thanks." Ash's eyes got downcast, and he sighed quietly and nodded.  
  
Luckily for him, an executive at Silph was getting his briefcase in order just then, and he walked over to the desk.  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Jim Silph, Jr., grandson of the founder of Silph Co. I liked the suite I stayed in so much last time, I think I'd like that one again, if it's possible. I wasn't planning to stay here, but I just recalled-"  
  
"Oh, of course, Mr. Silph, sir!" cut in Ms. Anderson. "Do you recall which suite was yours?"  
  
"Yes, actually," answered Mr. Silph, "it was suite 100A on the eighth floor."  
  
"Well, what a coincidence!" cried Ms. Anderson. "That suite is available right now." And snatching the key from Jessica, she chirped, "Here you are, sir. Enjoy your stay!"  
  
"Thanks," Mr. Silph smiled, and walking by, he winked at Ash, who gave him a big grin. "Thank you, Mr. Silph," he whispered.  
  
Ms. Anderson turned back to them. "Sorry, you two, but I guess it's just 186B."  
  
"That's okay," answered Ash. Misty tried very very hard not to put any expression at all on her face. Jessica handed Ash the key and, hoisting up their things, the two of them walked toward the elevator with Pikachu on their heels.  
  
"Wow," murmured Ash when the elevator's gold doors opened. There was a mini-TV in it. Ash glanced at Misty. "We never got places like this traveling, huh?" She shook her head.  
  
"You weren't rich then, either," pointed out Misty. Ash shrugged. "I'm not rich. I just get master bonuses and stuff."  
  
Ding. The elevator said, in a mechanical voice, "Fifteenth floor." Ash and Misty exchanged another raised-eyebrow glance.  
  
They walked down the hall silently. "158...178B...186A...here it is, Mist- er, Misty." Misty felt another harsh pang of guilt. Ash inserted the key and twisted it, and the door opened.  
  
The room was done in shades of aqua, green, and a little bit of lavender. The bathroom walls were marble, and the bordering on big-screen TV sat on a mahogany wardrobe. A picture of the sea hung on the wall, and the queen bed-  
  
Wait. Misty stopped and stood stone still in the doorway. *Queen bed?* As in, one bed and not two!?  
  
She debated on whether she should be deliriously happy or completely horrified.  
  
Finally, she decided on a little bit of both. "AAAAAHHHHH!" she screamed, and Ash, who had been examining the mini-fridge, came over to her. "What?" he asked.  
  
"Bed," she answered shortly, and Ash looked at her quizzically, then eyed the bed. "Yeah," he said, confused, "it's nice."  
  
"Exactly," she answered.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"*It's* nice."  
  
"Yeah..." he said, looking at her strangely.  
  
"IT! As in singular, as in one, as in NOT TWO!"  
  
"...oh. So what you're saying is, you would rather die than sleep in the same bed as me." *If only you knew, Ketchum*, thought Misty, biting her tongue so the words would stay only in her thoughts.  
  
"Well, since I have no choice, I'll live with it. But don't you try anything, Ketchum."  
  
"What is your sudden obsession with calling me 'Ketchum' instead of Ash?"  
  
He got no answer from that except a rude gesture from his female companion.  
  
"Real mature," he muttered as he walked toward his bag to unpack his stuff. She hopped onto the bed and grabbed the remote.  
  
"I'm going swimming," he announced after she decided to turn on some sappy talk show. "You coming, Pik?" The mouse shook its head and hopped onto the bed beside the redhead. Ash shrugged and walked into the bathroom to change.  
  
After he left, Pikachu hopped in front of Misty and looked at her sternly.  
  
"Pikachu chu chu pi pika Pikapi? Pi pika pika pikachu chu, pika pika." Why are you doing this to Ash? And don't pretend you don't understand me, I know you can.  
  
Misty sighed. "Are you going to tell him about this?" The rodent shook its head and gave a "Pika's honor" sign. She half-nodded. "Okay."  
  
"Do you remember when I used to do this to him when we were kids?" It nodded. "Same thing."  
  
"Pi!? Pika pi, pi pi chu?" Huh?! You mean you still like him? She shrugged and nodded.  
  
"Pi, pikachu?" Then, why?...  
  
"Because he doesn't lo-"  
  
"Pool's closed," announced Ash, sighing and flopping down onto the bed absentmindedly. Misty, who had been suddenly and sharply affected by a wave of sadness, didn't even notice, though she felt the gentle bouncing of the bed as he got on.  
  
He, though, noticed her reaction, or, rather, her lack of reaction. "Misty, are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Yeah, Ash," she sighed. "I'm okay." Abruptly, he flipped over, grabbed her by the shoulders, and told her, "You haven't tortured me at all since we got back in the hotel room, and you seem immensely depressed. What did Pikachu do to you?" She knew that was supposed to be a joke, and that he expected some comment about how he hadn't gone to the pool at all, but to look at a dictionary and find 'immensely depressed', but she just shook her head.  
  
"It's nothing. It was clarified for me a long time ago," she added, glaring at him. Then, when she saw no reaction, she added, "And for God's sake, you could at least look guilty. The Professor's right, you were my best friend and I know you have a conscience." And with that, she walked into the kitchenette and got some food, then sat down on a chair and began to eat.  
  
Although he hadn't understood that last conversation at all, he concluded Misty had been acting weird for the past two days and maybe it was PMS.  
  
He grabbed the remote.  
  
***  
  
(the next morning, after a few more sarcastic insults, a lot of silence, a few shocks from Pikachu, a few minutes of fighting about who got which side of the bed, and a lot of secretly freaking out about sleeping in the same bed as their love interests, they fell asleep and woke up...)  
  
...at 11 am.  
  
Misty sat straight up, looked at the clock, and yelled at her companion, "ASH! IT'S 11 IN THE MORNING!"  
  
Ash blinked at the sudden change of light and mumbled, "Oh. Yeah, so?"  
  
"Well, we wanted to be on the road by 9..." Ash sat up too.  
  
"Oh, that's right," he answered calmly. "Oh well."  
  
"God damn it, Ash, how can you be so calm? Our time is going to be so bad now." He looked at her.  
  
"So we slept in. Big deal. I was tired. I'm not used to getting up so early like I did yesterday. Besides, we're already at least halfway, and we should be there by tonight. Chill, it's going to be okay." (AN: Not if I have anything to do with it! *evil laugh* uh, anyways.)  
  
Misty calmed down a bit, and then Ash said, "We should eat and get dressed, then we can go. Okay?" She nodded. He hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom. She sighed, stretched and thought about him.  
  
***  
  
(one hour later)  
  
Misty ran out of the lobby, got in the driver's seat, scowled at him as if daring him to defy her, and started the car. Ash just sighed and got in the passenger's seat. It just wasn't worth it. *Why the hell do I love this girl?* he thought to himself.  
  
At least, he thought he did.  
  
"Pika pi pi." answered Pikachu, giggling. Because you're crazy. Ash didn't pay attention to what Pikachu had said, all he needed to know was that it had started with 'because'. Uh-oh-  
  
"Um, Ash?"  
  
He composed himself, knowing this was gonna be bad. "Yes, Misty?"  
  
"Why did Pikachu call you crazy?" He sighed.  
  
"Wait-" he stuttered. "T-That's all you heard? That's all?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered, bewildered. "What was that all about?"  
  
Ash laughed nervously. "I dunno, you know Pikachu, always saying weird crazy stuff." Misty gave him a strange look. "Sure, Ash. Whatever you say."  
  
After that, they drove along in silence, yet again, for a long while. Ash finally got a chance to sleep, and Misty drove, glad for the distraction. As they came upon the beautiful seaside, the water glistening with the sun's reflection, she looked out at it, thinking about how beautiful it was. *I wouldn't mind a few days here,* she thought, then stepped on the accelerator and kept going.  
  
Ash, presently, began to snore. Misty became increasingly annoyed, and so she finally nudged him, hard, and he woke up. "Wha- are we there?" he mumbled.  
  
"No," she sighed. "You were snoring so loud I couldn't hear myself think." But her tone wasn't especially condescending, and even bordered on playful teasing. It surprised him.  
  
"Oh," he answered, "sorry." She shrugged. "'S okay."  
  
"So, where are we?" he asked.  
  
"We passed Seaside already. We're on the route now, but it should be a while."  
  
"What time is it?" She blinked and looked at him for a few seconds.  
  
"Well, how am I supposed to know? There's a clock right up there, and don't expect me to look at it, I'm driving, half-wit."  
  
"Sorry-" he sighed.  
  
"Yeah, you should be. You can't figure anything out yourself."  
  
"For God's sake, Misty!" Ash yelled. "What is your problem? Have you suddenly turned twelve again? You're constantly insulting me, and despite the fact that you claim I'm your best friend, you appear to hate me very much! You've done it this entire trip! What's wrong with you?" She looked at him angrily, this time not just for a few seconds.  
  
"I can't believe how comfortable you are with this trip! It's no secret you obviously want nothing to do with me-"  
  
"What? Um, maybe you should watch the road, Mist-"  
  
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT! And it's not like you were my first choice to go with, either, because even if you were, you couldn't be. So go back to your girlfriend and money, and just leave me alone."  
  
"Misty, watch the freaking road! You're going to get us both killed!"  
  
Then- BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP.  
  
The car coughed and finally stopped comfortably in a ditch on the side of the highway. Misty panicked slightly and wrung her hands a bit, groaning. Ash sighed and rested his head against the dashboard.  
  
"Nice work," he said, looking at her. "What do you propose we do now?"  
  
***  
  
I know, another cliffhanger. And I know I get the parts out fast. That's mostly because of two things: 1) I type really fast and 2) I have no life. ^-^ Anyways, pleeeeeeeeease review and I will... um... love you forever. Okay? Okay, so now I have other things to do, which will probably not be interesting, just eating and sleeping. See you in chapter 5, when lots of THINGS happen! (hooray, random events!)  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	5. Ch. 5

Driving Me Crazy chapter 5 (yay!)  
  
***  
  
Hiiiiiiiiiiii everybody! I think there are going to be two more chapters, but don't quote me on that because I tend to count and estimate really, really bad. ^-^ anyways, I hope you all like the story. If you do, or even if you don't, I'm begging you to review!!! *gets down on knees* See? Okay, well, very, very thank you (yeah, I know that's not a phrase, so sue me) to everyone who reviewed already and all the nice things you said, they make me very happy ^-^. Now I'm not going to bore you any more, because you didn't click on the little clicky link to listen to me talk, you clicked it to read the story.  
  
Okay then, here goes this!  
  
***  
  
For a long while after they bumped the car off the road, they didn't even touch it from where it sat snugly in the ditch. It had turned off by itself, which worried the passengers. Finally, Misty took the key out of the ignition and put one hand over her temples, massaging them gently. The now unmoving car made a sad sort of groaning noise, as if it were really trying to work again, but it was just too far gone. Ash sighed.  
  
"Well, my mom always told me fighting would get you nowhere," he joked weakly. Misty simply shook her head.  
  
He sighed and opened the car door. Lifting up the hood of the car, he glanced under it nervously, trying desparately to act like he knew what he was doing.  
  
"Um, Ash?" She stuck her head out of the window to look at him.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you know how to fix a car?"  
  
"No," he admitted. But just then, a red convertible sped down the road, and apparently the driver saw them, because, with a loud squeak, the car stopped.  
  
The top was down, but the driver was in a shadow. All you saw was a large multitude of girls in the backseat, giggling like there was no tomorrow. The guy in the front finally opened his door, stepped out...  
  
"Richie!" said Ash excitedly. (AN: HA! You thought I was gonna say Gary, didn't you? ^-^ To tell ya the truth, I was gonna have it be Gary too, until I remembered he wasn't like that anymore and also decided that would be too predictable. Heh, leave it to me to forget my own story plot...)  
  
"Hey, Ash," he grinned. "What are you doing under the hood? You can't fix cars." Ash rolled his eyes. "So I've realized," he replied dryly.  
  
"Richie?" said Misty, surprised. He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"Misty? Wow, you look..." he trailed off, and she blushed slightly. Ash wanted to snap at Richie, but decided that wouldn't do any good. Richie looked at the car that both Ash and Misty were standing by, and said, "Maybe you should let me take a look. I'm no mechanic, but..." Ash swept his hand toward the car in a 'go ahead' motion, and Richie peered under the hood as Ash had been doing, minus the obviously clueless look.  
  
After a few minutes of looking, he looked up and informed them, "From what I can tell, it had been overheating since before you drove into the ditch, and the speeding up that Misty did did the car in just enough to stop it."  
  
"Are you sure?" Misty asked.  
  
"No," Richie replied. "But I can't see nay other explanation as to why it won't go."  
  
"Great," answered Ash sarcastically. "So what do you think we should do about it?"  
  
"The only thing you really can do is wait it out. Either that, or you could get a ride with someone else." Misty sighed at that.  
  
"We're already behind, and now we're going to get behind even more..."  
  
"It's not like we have an agenda," replied Ash with a hint of annoyance. "The Professor never said we had to be there at a certain time."  
  
"Maybe I'd just like to get there sooner rather than later, then." Ash turned from her, figuring in some way that remark was associated with him. Just then, a girl stuck her head out of the side of the car and yelled, "Richie! Come on, move it or lose it! We *do* have an agenda!" Richie looked at the pair apologetically.  
  
"Sorry guys," he said, "but they're right. The League administrators are having a meeting today." Ash blinked.  
  
"You're kidding. Damn, I don't have to be there, do I?" Luckily, Richie shook his head no.  
  
"It's just for the Elite Four, a couple Gym Leaders- from Johto," he added, seeing Misty jerk her head up, "and some of the people on the administrative staff and Planning Committee for the League."  
  
"Okay," he answered. "Well, thanks for the diagnosis, Rich."  
  
"No problem," he answered. "I'll see ya later, okay, Ash?" He nodded, they shook hands, and Richie got in the car and drove away.  
  
Ash got into the car, slammed the door, and crossed his arms. He glanced at the other occupant. "Any idea how long this will take?" She shook her head, giving him a look which clearly said, Come on, do you really expect me to know?  
  
Just then, Ash's eyes seemed to gain somewhat of a sparkle as he looked at what appeared to be the wheel. She cocked her head at him, confused, but didn't plan to ask him about it.  
  
It looked like the prospect of another long silence spell, except just then-  
  
KAPOW- they heard a very loud crash and immediately jumped out of the car, scared. There was another series of loud blasts, and they ran towards the sound, curiosity overruling any danger they might be in (as usual). Upon leaving the ditch and getting onto the highway, they were surprised to see a very large and deep hole right in the middle of the road. A couple cars were lined up on both sides, honking, but there was no sign of anything that could have been the cause of the noise.  
  
"Come on," said Ash suddenly, running over to the hole with Misty in tow. Peering down into it, he yelled, "Hello? Is there someone down there?" They both listened, but heard nothing.  
  
"HELLO?" he yelled again. It was then that he heard it- and it made his heart sink to his feet.  
  
Very, very faintly, probaaly from the bottom of the hole, both Ash and Misty heard it:  
  
"Pi!"  
  
Ash nearly leapt into the hole right then. "Pikachu!" he screamed, and Misty literally had to hold him back by his shirt. Taking both his arms and yanking them back, she immediately snapped at Ash,  
  
"Are you insane? You're going to jump into a hole that you can't even see the bottom of?"  
  
"That's Pikachu down there! I need to get down there!"  
  
Misty rolled her eyes. "I promise we'll get him. It's not like Pikachu hasn't been captured before."  
  
"He isn't captured, he just fell! And he could be hurt, but with the way you're acting, it's like you don't even care!"  
  
"Of course I care," she answered tightly, "but you can't go jumping into holes without knowing anything about them, I mean, you're gonna be sorry if there are jagged rocks at the bottom- are you even listening to me?"  
  
"I didn't even notice Pikachu was gone..." he murmured.  
  
"Okay," she sighed, "I guess not." You also didn't notice, she thought after hearing his statement, that I never let go of your arms.  
  
A driver of one of the cars opened his door. "Hey," he called, "do you and your girlfriend need some help?"  
  
Misty stared at him blankly. "Oh," she said after a second, "we're not dating." The guy shrugged.  
  
"I just figured, the way you were holding on to him..." She blushed and let go immediately, yelling at the guy in her head. (AN: No, not a little person that lives in her head, she's yelling at the driver because he brought Ash's attention to the fact... I know most of you got that, but I re-read my statement and realized that's what it sounded like, so for all of the other insane people like me who thought that... lol, LITTLE PEOPLE LIVE IN *MY* HEAD! *blinks* Uh...sorry bout that ^-^)  
  
Ash came out of his stupor and looked at the guy. "My Pikachu's in that hole, we're trying to figure out a way to get him out."  
  
"Oh," he answered. "Well, I think I have some rope in my car if that would help." Ash shrugged.  
  
"We can try it."  
  
The guy opened his trunk, and got out a very long rope. Ash tied it around his waist, made an agreement with the guy about the pulling, and, as Misty watched, lowered himself into the hole.  
  
About a half hour later, Ash, carrying the yellow electric rodent, was pulled out of the hole. By that time, Misty's knuckles were white from clenching her hands together nervously, several of the drivers had gotten out of their cars to watch the outcome, and the guy with the rope was puffing from the effort.  
  
Ash climbed out of the deep pit, stood up, put down the Pokemon, brushed some of the dirt off of himself, untied the rope from its still intact position on his waist, and smiled at the crowd, most of who were clapping for the young Master's bravery. Ash smiled at them, then went over to the man who had the rope and thanked him.  
  
"No problem," he answered. "I was glad to help." Ash handed him the rope, thanked him again, and walked over to where Misty was waiting, half annoyed, half relieved.  
  
"I still think you're insane," she said, shaking her head.  
  
"I still think you're bi-polar," he replied, and she gave him a glowering look and stalked back toward the car. He followed, grinning slightly.  
  
When they arrived, Ash opened the back door and put Pikachu in. Misty got behind the wheel, and looked for Ash, but didn't see him. She heard a slam and jumped, but didn't move. Then Ash walked back to his place in the front seat and sat down. He looked at her.  
  
"Do you have a watch?" he asked. She shook her head, then laughed a little.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't have a watch... you do." He looked at his wrist.  
  
"Oh," he said sheepishly.  
  
"So what time is it?"  
  
"It's around 2:15."  
  
"Great," she sighed. "We wasted a whole hour because of this stupid car."  
  
"And Pikachu," Ash added.  
  
"Yeah... hey, how do you think he got in there, anyway?" He shook his head. "Don't know."  
  
"Oh, well. We're already gonna be late now, since we still have to wait for the stupid car to start, or else get a ride."  
  
"No we don't," answered Ash. "We can call someone on my cell phone." She stared at him in pure disbelief.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Ash," she said, trying to be calm, "if you had a cell phone, why didn't you use it when the car broke down an hour ago!?" He shrugged.  
  
"It doesn't really matter now anyway," she sighed. "Just call."  
  
"We don't need to do that," he answered calmly.  
  
"Why?" she said, exasperated. He reached over, took the key from her, stuck it in the igniton, turned it, and she watched in amazement as the car started. Half-dazed, she shifted into drive, and drove out of the ditch and back onto the road.  
  
They hadn't been on the road five minutes when she glanced at him. "Ash?" she asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How did you know that the car would start?" He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"Because I just found a gas tank in the trunk, so I filled up the car." Misty looked at him, her mouth slightly open. She couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry, so finally she just kept on speeding down the highway.  
  
***  
  
(about 6 hours later..)  
  
Misty looked out the window, and saw something that relieved her to no end.  
  
"Look, Ash," she said cheerfully, "a hotel!" He looked in the direction she waved her hand in.  
  
"But we're almost there." She looked at him in exasperation.  
  
"I'm tired, and it's getting dark. That's never a good mix. We're going to stay in the hotel." He knew all he would get for arguing was maybe a good smack on the head, so he stayed quiet and agreed. They pulled into the hotel.  
  
The receptionist looked half-asleep, so they went over quietly and Misty said gently, "Um- Miss?" She seemed to jerk awake.  
  
"Yes, welcome to the Lavender Hotel. May I help you?" Ash frowned.  
  
"Wait- we're in Lavender Town?"  
  
"No," answered the lady, "you're in a very small town a while outside of Lavender Town, but so many people drive past here normally, this name helps attract business."  
  
"Oh," said Ash. "Well, anyway, we'd like a room, two beds." The lady nodded.  
  
"Okay, you'll be on the second floor. The elevators are right over there." She handed them the key, and they walked over to the elevator and pressed the button. It went 'ding' as the elevator came down, and they got in and pressed the '2'.  
  
A few seconds later, they heard: "Second floor, second floor, get off, get off!" (AN: Thank you, Sarah... never even thought of that one ^-^)  
  
The rest of the evening was mostly spent swimming, eating, and finally, sleeping. Sometime in the middle of the night, though, Misty woke up with a start. She heard two faint voices far away, but still decipherable.  
  
"...this whole controlled candy factory radio waves thing isn't going to work."  
  
"...clouds..."  
  
"I can't... ghosts... some Pikachu." Abruptly, Misty ran over to Ash's bed and shook him.  
  
"Ash," she whispered urgently. He opened one eye, obviously dazed.  
  
"Wha-" he mumbled.  
  
"Do you hear that?" she asked. They both listened, but the voices had stopped.  
  
"Getting delusional, Misty?" he asked her, slightly more awake.  
  
"No... I heard some voices. They were talking about Pikachu, something about clouds, and a candy factory with radio waves." He eyed her.  
  
"Sure they were. It was a dream, Misty. Go back to bed." She sighed.  
  
"Okay. Night," she said sleepily, suddenly feeling very tired, and so she got under the covers and closed her eyes.  
  
"Love you," she added after a couple of seconds, almost asleep.  
  
"Love you too," he said, almost but not quite incoherently.  
  
After that, there was silence.  
  
***  
  
  
  
Yay! The end of chapter 5! It was somewhat of a cliffhanger, but not really. Thank you goes to Sarah who wrote the elevator thing in her review of chapter 4! Anyways, I guess you'll just have to wait for chapter 6 to see if either of them remember what happened last night... so while you wait, please please please R&R, I want at least 50 reviews and I'm only at 39!! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Lol. and I know lots of you reviewed already, and some of you even reviewed every chapter! Domo arigato gozaimasu!  
  
  
  
  
  
Well, right now I must go eat pizza, and after that I plan to upload this chapter! I'll see you all in chapter 6!  
  
  
  
  
  
Ja ne,  
  
  
  
  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	6. Ch. 6

Driving Me Crazy chapter 6  
  
Wow, I really did get 50 reviews! I even got 55! YAY! That's cool! I'm glad everyone likes it... I know at least a couple people asked about the hole and the voices, and all questions will surely be answered in Lavender Town. Everything's connected... ^-^ Anyways, I'm thinking maybe more than two more chappies now, but nothing's for sure, so I guess you will just have to keep checking back and reviewing. BTW if you have any good ideas for the story or anything like that, you can say that in your review (or e-mail me, if you'd rather). Okay, that's all! Enjoy the story! Ja for now!  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Beep beep beep, beep beep beep, get up, get up!" (AN: More wonderful appliance noises- woohoo! Even the alarm clock does it! Sheesh, when I did the doorbell thing I had no idea where it would lead... ^-^) Misty blinked the sleep out of her eyes and glanced over at the table between the two beds.  
  
"8:30," she murmured. "The alarms must be preset." She saw Ash stir. He lifted his head up from within the mass of blankets.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Ash," she said, "we only have about a half hour's drive left to Lavender and it doesn't matter."  
  
"No," he answered. "I'm up already." As he said it, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked to the bathroom. Misty sat up and yawned, pushing strands of red hair out of her face. She faintly remembered something important happened while she was awake last night, but didn't actually remember what it was. She thought maybe she was asleep, and had just dreamed it, but... she remembered waking Ash up. Maybe he'd remember.  
  
In the bathroom, Ash was brushing his teeth. He'd had the weirdest dream after he'd informed Misty that she was delusional. He was floating through the air, and there was a cloud across from him. He could tell it was solid, but no matter how he tried, he couldn't touch it. He figured it came from what Misty had said before about hearing someone talking about clouds, although he still thought she was dreaming. He spit into the sink.  
  
Come to think of it, something else had happened last night, too. Misty had said something to him right before he drifted off to sleep. He hadn't quite heard it, although it gave him an odd sense of déjà vu, but he'd supposed, in his lethargic state, that she had said she loved him.  
  
And then he'd told her-  
  
He froze with his hand halfway to his mouth to wipe the toothpaste residue.  
  
He'd told her he loved her too.  
  
Looking into the mirror, he saw his own eyes widen to the size of dinner plates. Without thinking, without moving, without any thought about the logical thing to do at this point-  
  
He screamed. Loud.  
  
Misty came running into the room quite extraordinarily quickly. When she got there, he had stopped yelling and was now hyperventilating quite badly.  
  
"What?" she said nervously. "What's wrong?" He looked at her, panicking.  
  
"Um-" he stammered. She looked at him, her aqua eyes searching his face. Finally, he decided to take the only route he could think of- the honest one.  
  
"Do you remember what you said to me before you went to sleep last night?" She frowned thoughtfully. "Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing."  
  
"So you don't?" he said hopefully.  
  
"Hmm... I remember waking you up, but that's about it. If you gave me a little while to think I could probably remember more-"  
  
"No!" he cut her off hastily. "I mean, that's okay, it wasn't important or anything, I just wanted to know." She nodded, but had already begun thinking about it. Suddenly, as she was walking out of the room, she turned abruptly and looked at him.  
  
"Do you?" He felt an impending sense of certain and probably painful doom- he knew how bad he was at lying.  
  
"N-no," he stammered, feeling his face turn red. She looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"You're lying, aren't you?"  
  
"No," he lied, "it's just hot in here."  
  
"Well, I do remember you calling me crazy-"  
  
"Not crazy," he shot back defensively. "Delusional." She looked at him triumphantly.  
  
"I knew it. You do remember. Now talk." He ducked under her arm, which was resting on the door frame. "Don't we have to get going?" he asked her. "Like the Professor said, the sooner we get there the better." She sighed deeply. He wasn't telling her something, and she was gonna get it out of him, one way or the other.  
  
***  
  
Once Ash, Misty, and Pikachu were once again on the road, she immediately turned to him. He was driving, and she knew there was no way for him to dodge her now.  
  
"So, Ash," she said casually, "how about telling me what I said last night?" He glared at her.  
  
"Why won't you believe me? It isn't important! I'm telling you, it's not!" He could tell she didn't believe him.  
  
"Right," she said skeptically. "That's why your face turns the color of my hair every time I mention it. C'mon, what happened last ni-" Suddenly she was struck with an awful thought. "What if I said *the words* to him?" she wondered to herself. "Oh God... maybe I don't wanna know what happened... well, it's not so bad, after all, his reaction can't possibly be any worse than... last time..." She turned to him, deciding to use Plan B no matter what.  
  
"Ash," she announced sweetly, "either tell me what happened last night, or I'll hit you over the head and drive us off the road." He rolled his eyes. She wouldn't do that... would she?? He hated being threatened by her. It made his stomach feel like he was falling off a building. And that wasn't even that bad, but she could still tell that she'd hit a nerve.  
  
"You talked about voices you heard talking about Pikachu, and clouds, and something else, like chocolate, and uhhhh... afterthatIthoughtyousaidyoulovedmesoIsaidIlovedyoutoo." She blinked.  
  
"What?" He didn't answer her, just nervously drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. It was obvious within a few seconds she would figure it out. He could see her face out of the corner of his eye, see it as her face changed from confused to shocked to some emotion he couldn't read.  
  
She was perfectly horrified. "I said- I said-" God, she thought, I knew it. I just knew it couldn't be good.  
  
And then she remembered the other thing he'd said- "I said I loved you too." She looked at him and sat there quietly, not talking, not moving, it almost seemed she was barely breathing. Before she spoke again, it couldn't have been more than a minute, but it seemed like days.  
  
"You love me," she said very softly, almost inaudibly. It wasn't a question, more like a confirmation. He sucked in his breath.  
  
"Never know what you've got until it's gone, Ash?" she said, louder and more angrily. He still didn't look at her, but he did speak. "It was before you left," he said quietly, but void of emotion. She snorted.  
  
"Really. So the Pokemon Master's a big fat liar." He frowned, confused. "What the hell are you talking about? No one ever asked me." She gave a little laugh of disbelief.  
  
"Are you kidding me? No one ever asked you. No one... ever... *asked* you!? Just because they never said 'Do you love Misty?' What about me, Ash?"  
  
"What about you?" he shot back at her. "What about you? What? Are you saying you love me? Is that why you've been insulting me the entire trip? Why you might as well have informed me that you hated me?"  
  
"After the way you treated me, don't tell me I didn't have a right to be angry!"  
  
"The way I treated you?" he said incredulously. "Misty, the last time I saw you was five years ago when I became Master!"  
  
"Duh!" she screeched. "And you don't remember what you did? What you said? I loved you, Ash! I loved you, and you... you could have had the decency at least to let me down easy-" Her voice broke. She was really crying now, tears running down her cheeks.  
  
Ash opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. He shook his head. "Wha- what?" Suddenly, he remembered that day. He remembered her cupping her hands around her mouth.  
  
And he remembered where he had heard the faintly recognizable words from Misty's mouth... the same ones she had yelled to him five years ago.  
  
The same ones he hadn't heard.  
  
"I-" he choked out. "Misty, I never heard you." She looked up at him.  
  
"W- what?"  
  
"I never heard you that day." He told her about the press turning around. About how he'd shaken his head and mouthed, 'What?' to her. How she'd run out before he had a chance to ask her what she'd said.  
  
"It was...confusion?" she murmured.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That day, I saw some emotion on your face... I never figured out what it was. I always thought it was rejection. But it was confusion."  
  
"I guess," he answered quietly.  
  
After that, their brains had only half-digested the information- but they still had their doubts. Misty maintained he'd loved her then, maybe, but now he was probably in a relationship. And Ash just didn't know what to think. Still neither of them spoke. Misty fiddled nervously with a piece of her hair. Ash kept his eyes on the road, never even glancing at his female companion.  
  
As they saw the tall Radio Tower of Lavender Town nearing over the horizon, Ash said uncertainly, "Keep a look out for anything out of the ordinary." She bit back a sarcastic comment and nodded.  
  
The ride was silent for the rest of the way to the Radio Tower, which Ash had a strange intuition about, so he pulled into the parking lot. The redhead didn't comment.  
  
Getting out of the car, lost in his own thoughts, Ash stared up at the tall building. His hands were shoved into his jean pockets, and he cocked his head thoughtfully, craning his neck to see the top of the building. Misty walked past him and into the building without waiting for him.  
  
Alone in the lobby, she walked around, looking at all the people chatting happily and going in and out. The receptionist and the Lucky Number man were talking with an attractive woman perched neatly on her stool. Misty walked over to them.  
  
"Excuse me-" she began. The woman looked up.  
  
"Oh, hello, dear. Would you like to take a short quiz? Answer five questions correctly and you can win a TM." (AN: I know it's a radio card in the game, also the questions will be different, but for the sake of the story just pretend this is how it works- use your imagination ^-^)  
  
"Oh!" said Misty in surprise. "Well, okay... sure!"  
  
"Great!" smiled the woman. "Okay, first question: True or false: Kurt makes his custom Poke Balls from Apricots."  
  
Misty frowned. "Apricots? No, false. Apricorns."  
  
"That's right," she said brightly. "All right: True or false: Magikarp evolves into Gyarados."  
  
"Easy," answered Misty, "That's true!"  
  
"Right again! True or false: The other Radio Tower is in Goldenrod." She had to think about that one.  
  
"Um... Goldenrod... I'm gonna say true."  
  
"Great! Two more! True or false: Jigglypuff is not an evolved Pokemon."  
  
"False," she said immediately. Two weeks earlier, she'd done a story on Baby Pokemon. Igglybuff, which evolved into Jigglypuff, had been one of her focuses.  
  
"All right, answer this one and you get the TM! True or false:" The woman paused, trying to think of a good question. Her eyes fell on the paper she had been reading: "Pokemon Master's Pikachu: Level 100?"  
  
"The Pokemon Master is dating Alison Jennings." Misty got very quiet. Ash? He'd never actually told her whether or not he was dating anyone. He'd said he loved her- but that had been in a sleep-induced haze. And Alison Jennings? She was a model, wasn't she? There were always rumors, but she couldn't be sure.  
  
"I-" she began, and her face crumbled. "He probably thought I was his girlfriend..." she thought, "...and he probably is dating her."  
  
She opened her mouth to answer.  
  
***  
  
Finally- I'm done with this chappie!! I got writer's block on it twice, and I had to re-do a part of it... Yeah, me and my excuses. ^^ oh well, it's done now!! As always, much thanks to all the people who reviewed! There won't be *too* many more chappies. Maybe 3 or 4 at the most.  
  
I would like 80 reviews... sooo everyone get typing! Right now I have- *checks* 62! So I need 18 more reviews- lol, I feel so smart now!! I figured all that out in my head ^-^  
  
Thank you soooooooooooooooooooo much all you people who reviewed ^^  
  
Ooookay, well, Happy Bright Green T-shirt Day everybody! (It's today! August 2!)  
  
Buh-bye! *lavenderespeon* 


	7. Ch. 7

Driving Me Crazy chapter 7  
  
Wow... as of right now I'm already at *74* wonderful reviews! Thank you all so so much ^-^ you people are why I keep writing the story! Lol... I know, I know, me and my evil evil cliffhangers. I would thank specific people, only I'm too lazy to do all that typing. Maybe I'll thank people at the very end of the fic, on the last chapter. Yeah, I think that's what I'll do. There are some people who reviewed every chappie! That's so nice of you! *does happy dance*  
  
One more thing- the next few chapters will probably be more dramatic than funny, but I'm gonna leave the genre as Romance/Humor. Just thought I'd tell you.  
  
Okay, with that said, on with the ficcie!!  
  
***  
  
Misty opened her mouth to answer...  
  
...and a voice from behind her, though she couldn't see its owner, looked the lady straight in the eye and said,  
  
"False." The lady, who read tabloids every day, didn't glance up from her article about the Pikachu, but instead smirked.  
  
"Aww, honey, you were so close." Misty just stood there, her eyes wide, thinking how little you had to do to sit back and hear your heart break. The silence was so thick in the room, she was certain she heard it.  
  
The owner of the voice smirked from his stance behind Misty. "I'm afraid you don't understand- I know that the rumor's not true." The lady rolled her eyes, abandoning her usually professional demeanor.  
  
"Yeah? Prove it."  
  
And Ash strolled up to the desk, rested his elbows on the counter, gave the lady a sweet, practiced press smile, and waited for her to look up.  
  
Finally, seeing there was no response, she glanced up and her mouth dropped open, revealing a well-hidden piece of gum.  
  
"Uh- uh- Mr.- Mr. Ketchum! I-I mean- if you say it's- of *course* the rumor's not true, as I was about to tell this young lady!" The lady's beam returned, and you could see her congratulating herself on a nice save. Ash's eyes held a fair amount of skepticism, but he didn't say anything. The lady turned again to Misty, who looked as surprised as anyone. Averting her eyes to under the desk, she brought out a blue bottle.  
  
"Here you are! Congratulations!" Slightly confused, Misty took the TM.  
  
"Um- what TM is this?" asked Ash politely. The lady smiled, not a nice smile, kind of a mocking one.  
  
"Sorry- I don't make 'em, I just give 'em away."  
  
"Luckily," muttered Ash.  
  
Misty, looking at her TM, which was a pretty shade of aqua, walked distractedly out the door. Ash followed her after politely nodding to the people behind the counter.  
  
Across the room, a man in a black suit smiled quite evilly and nodded to the man sitting next to him. Both of them watched Ash and Misty go, then they got up, stood at the door, waited for the Professor's car to start and pull out, then they walked out, got into an official-looking limousine, and it, too, pulled out.  
  
***  
  
"What TM do you think it is?" asked Ash, who was driving. Misty cocked her head to one side, looking at it.  
  
"I dunno," she replied. "I've never seen one like it before. I used to have a TM book for reference when I was reporting on something, and most of them were clear. One or two were red, a couple green... I think one dark blue. Never this shade..." The yellow rodent in the back seat heard the surprisingly calm and pleasant conversation and hopped suddenly into Misty's lap, sniffing the bottle curiously.  
  
"PI!" it cried suddenly and angrily, grabbing the TM from Misty and throwing it squarely out the window.  
  
"Pikachu!" exclaimed Ash. "What did you do that for?" Pikachu turned its gaze to him.  
  
"Pikapi, chu chu pika cha pikachu pi!" [Ash, if you had my sense of smell you would have done it too!]  
  
"Pikachu," asked Misty, "what kind of scent was on that?" It looked at her matter-of-factly.  
  
"Pika, chu pi pi ka. Cha chu pika pikachu." [Well, it's hard to explain. It was more instinct than anything.]  
  
"It smelled dangerous?" she asked.  
  
"Chu. Pikachu pi cha pika." [Yeah. It just didn't smell right.]  
  
"Okay," decided Ash, "Pik, I trust you enough to believe you. Let's just forget it."  
  
***  
  
A man, alone in his rusty old car, picked up his cell phone. He dialed the numbers almost mechanically.  
  
"Anderson? It's me. They eighty-sixed the Formula 16."  
  
"Use words, Melton," the person on the other end growled. "Aren't you alone?"  
  
"Yeah. I saw the bottle fly out the car window."  
  
Silence on the other end. Then: "Which one did it?"  
  
"I couldn't tell."  
  
"Shit." Then Anderson was silent.  
  
"It's still okay. Did you get the Pokemon?"  
  
"No," replied Anderson sullenly. "Ketchum noticed his Pika-buddy was missing and went looking. Some guy had a rope in the back of his car."  
  
"People," muttered Melton angrily.  
  
"Well," sighed Anderson, "we've still got the factory."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Melton. "Everything set?"  
  
"I'll call Vincent after we hang up."  
  
"Okay." He paused. "Anything else on the redhead?"  
  
"Not as far as I know. I'll see you in 20."  
  
"Bye." He pressed the 'end' button and smiled to himself, pushing the accelerator just a little faster in anticipation.  
  
***  
  
"Ring ring ring, ring ring ring, Pokegear, Pokegear!" (AN: This really wasn't gonna be part of the story, having him call, but I couldn't help myself ^-^) Ash frowned.  
  
"I forgot I had this..." He pressed the 'on' button. "Hello?"  
  
"Ash? This is the Professor. I'm just checking up on you... learn anything?"  
  
"Not yet," Ash replied. "We're in main Lavender now, but since we really don't have too many specifics..."  
  
"Well, I checked, and I have some information for you, if it would help." Misty looked over at the screen also, wanting to hear what he'd found.  
  
"That would be great," she answered for Ash. He nodded.  
  
"All right. A guard of the Cambridge Candy Factory, which has its corporate offices and the factory where the candy is shipped from in Lavender, was found drowned in a lake outside of the town. Lavender is a fairly remote town, with hardly any murders. The police looked into it, and by tapping a phone call, found out there were hidden transmitters somewhere in the candy factory. It was all on the local news."  
  
"And you think it has something to do with the ghost Pokemon?" asked Ash. The Professor nodded.  
  
"Pokemon often have better hearing and sense of smell than humans. Ghost Pokemon are notorious for hearing high-pitched frquencies. If there was an ulterior motive to this sound- like to distract the ghosts from something- it would be fairly easy to do."  
  
"So check out the candy factory?" asked Misty.  
  
"I'd look into it."  
  
"We'll go now, then. Thanks, Professor."  
  
"Take care," he said cheerfully. The small screen went black.  
  
"I guess it's the chocolate factory, then," Ash said to Misty.  
  
"Mmm," agreed Misty absentmindedly. After briefly checking the map, they sped off.  
  
***  
  
Vincent Harding heard his phone ring a few seconds later.  
  
"I'm busy," he growled into the phone.  
  
"'S me. Anderson."  
  
"What?" he yelled.  
  
"Sorry, Boss. I'm busy too, but I gotta tell you. I just got off the phone with Melton, and he said that formula stuff you made didn't pass the test of the Master's Pikachu and he threw it out the window."  
  
"The Master?"  
  
"No, the Pikachu."  
  
"Oh. Well, we'll find a way."  
  
"That's the other thing. Their car's going full speed toward the factory. I think they know somethin'." Vincent sighed.  
  
"Daniel, listen to me. I have planned this so carefully, you wouldn't believe it. Let 'em come. You know what they'll find?"  
  
"The transmitter?"  
  
"They won't find a damn thing! When I plan, I plan good. Don't come or try to head them off, and whatever you do, don't hurt them. People know they're here. Just do your job."  
  
A sigh from the other end of the phone. "Okay. I'll talk to you."  
  
"Call later tonight. I'll give you an update." Vincent hung up the phone. He sighed, putting his fingers on his temples.  
  
"These trainers better not mess up my plans," he muttered.  
  
*** "I guess this is it," said Ash, pulling into the gravel parking lot of the seemingly abandoned factory.  
  
Misty looked at him. "Is this illegal or something?"  
  
"I don't think so," he answered, but still neither of them moved.  
  
About ten seconds later, she looked at him again. "Ash? If Alison Jennings isn't your girlfriend... who is?"  
  
"What makes you think I'm not single?" She gave him a skeptical smile.  
  
"Because you're twenty, famous, and incredibly handsome." She hadn't meant to be quite so blunt, but that's how it came out, and she couldn't take the words from the air and rewind time. He gave her an amused look.  
  
"You think I'm handsome?" She blushed.  
  
He laughed. "Did you... always think that?"  
  
"Pretty much," she admitted, "not that your ego needed to hear it."  
  
"You liked me then," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
"So?"  
  
"I liked you then too." She leaned her seat back.  
  
"You like me now?" He gave her an annoying grin.  
  
"I plead the Fifth."  
  
"Déjà vu," she muttered. "So, Ash, learned what the Fifth is yet?"  
  
"The Fifth," he announced, "is the right to remain silent."  
  
"That's right," she said, not very surprised. The boy had grown up.  
  
"If you still want to know tomorrow, I'll tell you then." She shrugged. "Fair enough." He smiled at her, not conveying any emotion in particular. Then he opened his car door and together, they walked through the gates, which were wide open.  
  
At first neither of them even thought about it. Then Misty glanced back and murmured, "Don't you think it's weird the gates were just open like that?"  
  
"From what I gather, there was a break-in earlier, right? They probably saved us the trouble. Anyway, we could have just shocked the lock and gotten in easily." Accepting this, they continued walking up to the main doors. Misty stopped short, another worry striking her.  
  
"What if the burglars are still in there?" His first thought was that they were most likely murderers, not burglars, but he didn't want to scare her, so he just replied,  
  
"That's why we have our Pokemon." She smiled, the worry melting away from her face.  
  
"Oh," she said, thinking, of course... good trainers...  
  
"So... do you want to go in?" he said, noticing they still hadn't. She smiled again, somewhat sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go." Absentmindedly, he smiled back at her and slipped his hand in hers. She lifted her free hand, opened the door, which was also unlocked, and they walked into the factory.  
  
"Wow," said Ash almost immediately, looking around. The factory was huge, with big mixers and machines all around, but all dormant. The ceiling was high and domed. Everything was white or silver, and a big sign above everything said in blue lettering:  
  
WELCOME TO CAMBRIDGE CANDY FACTORY!  
  
"Sure is big," commented Misty.  
  
"Uh-huh. Do you see any doors or anything that could lead to another room? It doesn't seem like there would be anything in here." Misty nodded, agreeing with him.  
  
"Well," she replied, "it looks like a manager's office over there up that flight of stairs." She pointed, then realized her hand was entwined with his and blushed. Immediately, she freed herself and pointed again. He bit his bottom lip, but didn't comment.  
  
"Yeah," he replied after a few seconds of uneasy silence. She looked at him.  
  
"Do you want to go up there?" she asked. He shook his head, loosening the thoughts about her clamped firmly in his mind, and then replied, "Yeah, sure. I mean, if you think it would help."  
  
"I don't know, but it can't hurt to try..." And with that, she turned toward the stairs and started to ascend them. He gave a small sigh and followed her.  
  
The door wasn't locked, but it was heavy, and Misty strained against it, trying to open it. Finally, Ash pushed on it too with one hand and it creaked open unwillingly.  
  
The room was dark and musty. Ash felt along the wall for a light switch and, upon finding one, was about to flip it-  
  
Someone clapped and the room was flooded with light. Ash looked at Misty and Pikachu, their eyes darting cautiously about the room. He took a step forward, defensively.  
  
"Who's there?" he called. No answer. Misty instinctively moved a step closer to him. "Ash," she murmured, "do you think it's a ghost Pokemon?"  
  
"It's possible," he told her, then yelled into the room, "Who turned the lights on? Come on, show yourself."  
  
They waited, but there was no answer. Then, with no warning, they were plunged into darkness once more. Ash flipped the light switch, still under his fingers, but nothing happened. After a few more silent seconds, he had a thought. He clapped, and the lights came on again. Misty gave a relieved sigh and looked up. The sigh abruptly turned into a sharp intake of breath.  
  
"Ash," she said shakily, "look over there..." (AN: I was gonna have it be a cliffy here but I'm not *that* mean... ^-^) He raised his head to the direction she was looking and his eyes widened slightly.  
  
Scrawled in black ink on the wall was this:  
  
--back of the wall-stripes are away-have a Chocoball-and 315 can't help you now  
  
Ash looked at Misty. "That's not so scary. It's not like it's a death threat, right?" She shook her head. "But we know somebody's here," she pointed out. "I know that wasn't there before the lights turned out." Ash frowned.  
  
"Is it... a riddle?" he muttered. "It must be- as a normal sentence it doesn't make any sense. Back of the wall..." he turned to the far wall. It didn't seem to be any different than any of the other walls.  
  
He turned to her. "Quick- get a piece of paper and write down those words. We should go see if there are any other rooms." She nodded and reached for the door.  
  
"I'll be glad to get out of here," she replied, "this room gives me the creeps." She turned the doorknob, pushed, and they walked out of the room.  
  
Ash was still worried. The last thought he had before following Misty was this:  
  
"...neither of us closed the door after coming in."  
  
***  
  
Daniel Anderson smacked a branch out of his way, reached into his pocket for a key, put it in the lock, turned the doorknob, pushed, and made his way into the dimly lighted room. He could hear Vincent's leather chair rocking, and noted Vincent was someone you'd see in the movies, with his chair turned back until you talked to him.  
  
"Hey, Vincent," he greeted him. The man spun around. He had on a gray tweed suit and a red silk tie. His cheekbones were high and narrow, his voice was always menacing, he sat up straight and you could tell he was not someone you'd want for your enemy.  
  
Vincent nodded. "Anderson," he acknowledged him. Then: "I take it you called him?"  
  
"I did," replied Anderson.  
  
"And?" prompted Harding. He saw Anderson's face change slightly.  
  
"He says he'd be prepared to help us, give us access to his facilities and send some members out on guard."  
  
"Any catches?"  
  
"He wants a cut... I didn't tell him that wasn't it."  
  
Vincent Harding laughed, a low, throaty sound. "Greedy bastard. I knew him once. I'm not surprised... it was always about money with him." Anderson nodded.  
  
"I just said I'd talk it over with you and-" he grinned- "have my people call his people." Harding rolled his eyes, but quickly snapped back to attention.  
  
"So," he said, "where's Jason?"  
  
Anderson frowned. "Melton? Ah, he's still out there, I guess... should be here soon."  
  
"Okay. Listen, I had to do some pest control a few minutes ago- those trainers are here. I gave them some cryptic clue message that tells them where the transmitting room is-"  
  
"What!?" Harding held up a hand.  
  
"Don't worry. They'll never figure it out- you don't have to be the sharpest crayon in the box to color the best, if you know what I mean. What I need you to do is freak them out a little. Mess with their heads. Go screw with the circuit breaker. Oh, and I'd appreciate that Pikachu in our hands too."  
  
"Will do, Boss. Hey, tell me when Melton gets here, would ya? I have a score to settle with him."  
  
"Yeah, I'll buzz you."  
  
"Thanks," replied Anderson. He strolled out to the back hall, patting the gun in his pocket with a slightly sadistic smile.  
  
Harding picked up his phone and glanced at the piece of paper on his desk. He punched some numbers.  
  
"Let me talk to Giovanni," he told the Rocket executive who picked up. He listened briefly, and said, "Hello? Giovanni? Vincent Harding. Let me explain to you the specifics of our deal. No money involved, I'm afraid, but I can assure you and all of the others who side with us a seat of great power." He listened again and smiled. "Excellent."  
  
***  
  
Five minutes later, Jason Melton walked into Harding's office. Harding glanced up briefly.  
  
"Anderson was looking for you." Melton nodded and walked into the hall where Anderson was. It was darker in the hall than in the office, but Melton could faintly see his outline.  
  
"Hello, Anderson," he said. Anderson didn't answer, but took a few steps toward him.  
  
"I know what you did," he said in a low and quiet voice. Melton frowned.  
  
"Wha-?" He was cut off when Anderson took another few quick steps toward him.  
  
"I know you have it already. Give it to me. It's mine. It's my job. Do it and I can promise you no harm will come to you." He leaned in. "I'll protect you." Melton closed his eyes briefly and shook his head no.  
  
"I can't, Daniel... I need it." Anderson smiled.  
  
"Say 'fire orb,' Melton." And in one swift motion, he pulled out his gun and blew him away.  
  
***  
  
BANG. Misty jumped from where they'd been inspecting a machine and trying to figure out the riddle.  
  
"What was that, Ash?" He glanced around.  
  
"I don't know. It sounded like it came from over there." He pointed. They walked in the direction of a wall they hadn't seen before.  
  
"Why is this wall covered with wallpaper?" she murmured. He shrugged. The wallpaper was fairly plain, white background with red stripes, about one every inch. Suddenly Ash frowned and walked alowly down the wallpapered wall.  
  
"Ash?" said Misty quizzically. He didn't answer. He reached his hand up to a place in the wall when-  
  
Click. Clamp. Ching. (AN: lol! Don't you love my sound effects?) Misty whirled around.  
  
"Ash," she said worriedly, "the gates and door just closed!" He didn't answer, just kept staring at that wall.  
  
"Ash?" she repeated, getting worried. Still no reaction.  
  
Then he heard it.  
  
"PIKAPIIIIIIIIIII!"  
  
***  
  
*evil menacing suspense music* ^-^ This was a pretty long chapter in a pretty short time! Although it did take me longer than 4 minutes...lol. Anyways, I just got 80 reviews! Yay, people! You guys are so nice. Now if I could get 100... lol. *sigh* I'd love to have 100 reviews... it would make me feel very special. But all my reviewers are very nice already! YEAH YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!! ^-^ Okay, well, I have some food with my name on it, sooo- until next chapter!  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	8. Ch. 8

Driving Me Crazy chapter 8  
  
Hi everyone!  
  
I apologize for yet another cliffhanger, and there will probably be one in this chapter too... I'm so mean, I know. I'm thinking this will be the second to last chapter. I gotta fit all of my events in here! Which means... yup. Here comes the fluff! ^-^ Probably not until the last chapter, but I might be able to squeeze some in here.  
  
I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT 105 REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME! ^-^  
  
... okay, you know what? I'm gonna stop boring you now. Read on! ***  
  
"PIKAPIIIIIIII!"  
  
Ash gasped and turned around abruptly, with a furtive, desperate glance back at the wall. "Stay here," he instructed Misty quickly.  
  
"Where are you going?" she said urgently.  
  
"Pikachu's somewhere over there. I have to go get it!" (AN: since I've heard Pikachu portrayed as a boy and a girl, it's just the neutral 'it'.) He turned, but Misty caught him by the edge of the shirt.  
  
"No, Ash. It could be dangerous..."  
  
"I'd do anything for Pikachu, you know that!" he yelled. She gave him a sharp look.  
  
"If you'd let me finish... I want to come." He sighed and shook his head.  
  
"I can't let you do that." She looked at him pleadingly.  
  
"Ash..." She took his hand. They both heard a yell.  
  
"Stay here," he repeated. "No matter what, stay here."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Promise!" he said forcefully. She searched his face and finally nodded resignedly. He squeezed her hand and gave her a brief smile before running top speed toward Pikachu's direction. His eyes searched the room, and saw a gray door in the nearest corner to the main gates. It was ajar.  
  
Without thinking, he ran to it, flinging it open. He stopped in the doorway, breathing heavily. His eyes scanned the room for Pikachu, but he didn't see it anywhere. There was no one else in the room.  
  
"Pikachu!" he called, hoping for a response to follow the sound of its voice on.  
  
Very faintly, he got it: "pi! Pi..ka...piiii!" It sounded like it was coming from... beyond the wall? But there were dense woods and steel poles keeping people out of that entire back area, he'd seen them when they came in.  
  
He decided that he'd have to figure it out. That gunshot came from beyond the wall too- there must be a way in. But that was a different wall- the very back of the far wall.  
  
Hadn't he seen a gun- a tranquilizer or something- hanging back there on the very edge? He was almost certain of it. It was by that big machine- it made some kind of chocolate, he remembered, that had its own brand name- but he couldn't recall the name. But that gun would help!  
  
And the wall- it had been so peculiar. The very back, where Misty was, had *wallpaper*. It didn't seem right somehow... He frowned and started walking back the way he came.  
  
***  
  
Misty stuffed her hands in her jeans pockets. She felt her left hand touch something- what was that? She pulled it out.  
  
"Oh," she murmured. It was the piece of paper Ash told her to use to write down that weird riddle. She was about to unfold it when she heard a door slam and footsteps. She gasped, scared. She frantically searched for something- anything- to defend herself with, though she knew she was in a far corner, out of the way. She turned her head away from the main part of the factory, towards-  
  
The Chocoball machine? She frowned. Had that- yeah, it had been there. She remembered leaning on it. But what about that box with the- the gun in it? There was a metal plaque that said:  
  
SPECIAL UNIT. FOR SAFEKEEPING. ATOMIZER #315.  
  
That number, too, sounded familiar. Atomizer... sounded scary. Well, she'd wait for Ash to see if she should take it, she supposed.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind her:  
  
"Hello, Misty."  
  
She screamed.  
  
***  
  
Daniel Anderson smiled as Vincent walked into the room with the Pikachu in an airtight bubble-like container. Vincent looked at the limp figure on the floor that used to be Jason Melton.  
  
"A run-in with a wild Houndoom?" he asked in an amused tone. Anderson gave him a dark look.  
  
"He had it. Can you believe it? He *had* it already, and he didn't tell us."  
  
"So you assumed he wasn't going to?"  
  
"Look," Anderson addressed his boss, "I know him. He was the guy they assigned to be my partner for years when we were Rocket grunts, and even when we were guards here. He had it- he wouldn't have told us."  
  
"So," said Vincent, "got orb?" Anderson smiled and held out a red ball that was about as big around as the length of his palm. It glowed and you could see the flames in it. On the part he was holding up, there was a black spot approximately the size of a thumbprint.  
  
Vincent gave an evil smile.  
  
***  
  
Ash started laughing hysterically at Misty's expression. She whirled around to find him standing there in hysterics.  
  
"ASH KETCHUM!" she screamed. "Do you have any idea how much that scared me?" He stopped laughing, but still grinned at her. She took a step toward him, looking quite menacing. He held up his hands in an expression of truce.  
  
"Sorry, Mist. Er-" He was about to correct himself, but she had already turned from him. He sighed quietly and looked back up at the wallpapered wall.  
  
Suddenly, he frowned. Slowly, he walked toward the part of the wall he hadn't even noticed before. "Misty," he whispered. He felt her head turn. "Look."  
  
In front of them was a part of the wallpaper with not one single stripe.  
  
Misty frowned. "Why-" she began. He shook his head. "I- I dunno." Suddenly her eyes lit up and she reached into her pocket. Ash tore his gaze from the wall to look at her quizzically. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and he gave her a confused shrug.  
  
"Listen," she said breathlessly. "Back of the wall." She looked at him, and he looked briefly back toward the place without stripes. Come to think of it, it was toward the back.  
  
"Stripes are away," she continued, stressing the words. His mouth opened slightly.  
  
"Have a Chocoball," she said with a smile, indicating the machine with a sweep of her hand. "And 315-" she pointed to the plaque on the atomizer- "can't help you now." He gave a nervous, excited laugh.  
  
"You don't think this is how we get back there..." he said.  
  
"It has to be," she replied. "All of it makes sense."  
  
"But it said the atomizer can't help us. Look at that thing! It could probably fry a person. It can't be serious. I think whoever wrote the note is trying to throw us off." Misty nodded hesitantly. What Ash said made sense, but...  
  
"Whoever wrote the note, Ash. How do you know they weren't trying to warn us, to help us?"  
  
"How do you know they were?" he countered.  
  
"We don't," she replied flatly.  
  
"I dunno, Mist," he began, waiting for her to chide him. She didn't, so he continued, "it sounds too much like a threat to be help." She sighed.  
  
"Say what you want," she replied. "I'm gonna try to figure out this wall."  
  
"I'm gonna get the atomizer," announced Ash. She didn't answer him, merely turned towards the wall again and ran a hand across it.  
  
It opened.  
  
Misty frowned. That... was way too easy. "Ash," she called quietly.  
  
"What," he said, banging a fist on the atomizer's box.  
  
"Wall's open." He glanced at her, then the opening in the wall.  
  
"Right. Lemme get the gun and-"  
  
"Forget the gun, Ash." He turned to her abruptly.  
  
"That was a gun shot we heard, Misty- I'm not going in there unarmed!" He rammed a fist into the glass and it shattered on his hand. Misty bit her lip and winced at the blood.  
  
Ash muttered a few choice words through gritted teeth.  
  
"Real becoming, Mr. Pokemon Master," Misty said.  
  
"It hurts!" he snapped at her. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well," she answered, "I've never been good at sympathy, but I think I could probably..." Abruptly, she yanked on the bottom of Ash's t-shirt, causing him to yelp in surprise and flail his arms around in the air for balance. Finally, he lost it and fell forward...  
  
... right into her arms. She caught him and they looked at each other a few awkward seconds. Misty felt her cheeks warming and she set him back on his feet. The bottom of the t-shirt ripped off and she smiled.  
  
"What is that for?" Ash asked her.  
  
"Wrap your hand with it," she replied, giving him a look that stated that should have been obvious.  
  
"Oh, of course. I always wrap my hands with the fabric from my t- shirts," he said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
"Shut up," she commanded him. "This is the best I've got for now. It's not like I carry around an Ace bandage in my bag." Just then, their conversation was cut short by a loud bang. They both turned to the wall, and Misty thrust Ash's t-shirt bottom into his hands. He started wrapping it around his injured hand, and he'd just finished when she grabbed him by his good hand and pulled him through the opening. He managed to grab the gun on the way past.  
  
They found themselves suddenly in a dark hallway, an abrupt change from the harsh lighting in the assembly room. A flashlight was shone in their eyes and they blinked and shielded their eyes.  
  
"Ash and Misty," said the voice. It was not a question. Misty's heart was beating like crazy and she made a soft scared sound in the back of her throat. Ash took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze.  
  
Suddenly, the hallway was illuminated with a dim light which allowed the occupants of the room to see each other. The man, Ash noted, was probably in his early thirties, dark hair and eyes... and he had a gun. Misty visibly paled, but Ash willed himself not to. The man's gaze traveled to the atomizer in Ash's hand. He clucked disapprovingly.  
  
"Didn't you see Vincent's message?" he asked with a grin. "That thing won't leave a mark if you have this." He held up the fire orb.  
  
"What is..." Misty screamed, cutting him off. He glanced at her peripherally, not taking his eyes off the man. She pointed quickly to Melton's dead body lying motionlessly on the ground, with a gunshot wound in the chest and blood taking over the surface of the hardwood floor. Ash tore his eyes away from the gruesome site and back to the man.  
  
"Who are you?" Ash demanded of the man.  
  
"Anderson, Daniel M. Anderson at your service."  
  
"What's your angle?" He smiled.  
  
"No angle. I have what I want. How about you give my boss what he wants... and he'll give you what I'm sure you want." Daniel Anderson held up a cage. In it was a tired Pikachu.  
  
"Pi..." it muttered listlessly. Ash lunged for the man, and Misty barely caught him by the back of the shirt.  
  
"God damn it, Ash, he's got a gun."  
  
"So have I," Ash replied, indicating the menacing-looking atomizer #315. Anderson laughed again, a cold, hard sound.  
  
"Shoot me then, Ketchum," he said with a fair amount of amusement. Ash aimed and fired. A great green light came shooting out of the end almost instantly. It enveloped him completely, and Ash let up on the button.  
  
Anderson stood there, a smile on his face, completely and totally unharmed.  
  
"My boss, Mr. Ketchum," he said with a hint of aggravation, "is not often wrong."  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"I told you. The fire orb."  
  
"Do you work for Giovanni?" demanded Ash.  
  
"I'll ask the questions," growled Anderson. "But, since it won't matter much when you're lying next to my buddy here-" he indicated Melton- "no. Although we are trying to affiliate him in this little project of ours."  
  
"So, since you plan to finish us off anyway," Ash said as casually as he could, "what exactly is this plan of yours?"  
  
Anderson began to explain, when a figure stepped out of the shadows. "I'll explain, Anderson," they said coldly. Ash's mouth dropped open and Misty's eyes widened.  
  
"Of course, sir," answered Anderson, not taking his eyes off of Ash and Misty, who were currently sharing a confused look.  
  
"Well," said the figure, taking a few steps toward Anderson, "it's very complicated, very complex, we wouldn't want to give away every detail- " they stepped even closer to him, until they were almost directly behind him.  
  
"Of course, Vincent, sir," agreed Anderson promptly, and the figure smiled. The confusion on Ash and Misty's faces, Anderson noted bewilderedly, had turned to what appeared to be amusement.  
  
"But, Anderson, I am going to need that fire orb- makes you immortal, you know," the figure added to Ash and Misty. Anderson handed it over without a word.  
  
"Thank you Anderson. Oh, and one last thing as well."  
  
"Yes?" said Anderson eagerly, obviously hoping for promotion.  
  
"Goodbye," said a female voice slyly. A hand reached over and undid Pikachu's cage. There was a loud 'zap', and Anderson lay, charred, next to his partner. A young woma with green hair reached over and took his gun.  
  
"Erika...? What- why are you- you're the boss? No, you're... holding a voice modulator." Ash said, all very quickly. Erika smiled and flipped back a strand of hair.  
  
"I followed you guys from Celadon. Sabrina called and said you might need my help. She told me to give you her regards... she had a League inspector coming."  
  
"From Celadon?" repeated Ash. "That was out of your way though..."  
  
"Oh, it was no trouble," assured Erika.  
  
"Then, did you see who dug that hole? Why didn't you help that dead guy? And where's the real boss?" Erika grinned at Misty.  
  
"Come back to this room back here. I can explain everything there." And she led them into what would have been Vincent's office.  
  
****  
  
I know, I know, that was somewhat of a cliffhanger... I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. And sorry it took me so long to get this out... I couldn't decide what should happen in a couple of parts. To all my reviewers... thank you so much for sticking with the story!! Almost over now...  
  
All the rest of the concluding-happily-ever-after events will happen in our concluding chapter: chapter 9! See you then, I hope ^_~  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


	9. Ch. 9

Driving Me Crazy Chapter 9  
  
Well, here it is-the last chapter. I want to thank all the reviewers, and all the characters in my story, and my parents- *blinks* Okay, never mind. Anyways, I hope you liked reading this story as much as I liked writing it, and again, thank you for reading and reviewing!!  
  
Here ya go- the conclusion!  
  
***  
  
Erika sat down in Vincent's chair and put her feet up on the desk. She motioned for Ash and Misty to have a seat in two chairs on the opposing side.  
  
"So," said Misty as she sat down, "what's the deal?"  
  
"Well," Erika explained, "after I got the call from Sabrina, I borrowed a bird Pokemon until I could get to the outskirts of Lavender. I could almost immediately tell, especially from in the air, that someone was trailing you... and I didn't assume it was a car of fans. So I followed you, about a half mile behind so you wouldn't get suspicious. When I saw the car turn off, I followed both of you by flying over the grassy part between the exit and the freeway. I don't think you ever caught on to either me or Anderson."  
  
"No," agreed Misty.  
  
"Right. Well, then I saw Anderson- or his little friend there, maybe- set dynamite in the street- presumably to blow it up. I swooped down and put their car in reverse so they couldn't zoom away. Then I went to you guys' car while you were fighting and took Pikachu. Since it knew me, it trusted me-"  
  
"You took Pikachu?!" said Ash. Misty gave him a warning glance- she knew Erika had to have her reasons.  
  
"Yes, to distract Anderson when he got back to the hole. Naturally, they assumed one of their co-conspirators had put it there and started plotting, giving me time to mess with their car a little bit, slow them down." Erika sighed. "Unfortunately, they figured it out and got over the hole."  
  
"So, you kept following us?" prompted Misty.  
  
Erika nodded. "I knew they were gonna get there, so I decided to help you guys any other way I could. I snuck in the back here, flew over the fence and stun spored the real boss and tied him up. I used his cell phone to call the police. As far as I know, they're on their way."  
  
"And... how'd you find the voice modulator?" Ash asked her.  
  
"Vincent had it in a desk drawer. He had a lot of other things too... lock picks, tape recorders. Obviously, he has a criminal record."  
  
"Well, that explains a lot... but what about the guy that was shot when we got here?" Misty said.  
  
"Anderson's partner in crime," explained Erika. "He got to the orb before Anderson... so he shot him."  
  
"His own partner?"  
  
Erika nodded grimly. "People will do crazy things for power."  
  
"They must have known we were investigating this, and tried to get rid of us too..." Ash muttered.  
  
"Exactly," replied Erika. Misty stood up.  
  
"What was it about that orb, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know," replied Erika. "I'm sure the police will try and investigate to the best of their ability. I can only assume it was worth a lot... and of course, I figured out it makes you invincible."  
  
"Well, that's one reason you might want it," said Ash with a smile and a wave of his hands. Erika's eyes traveled to the makeshift bandage on Ash's hand. "What's the story on that?" she asked.  
  
"I slammed it into a glass box."  
  
"Ouch," she said sympathetically. Ash smiled, and Misty put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"He'll live," she grinned, "he's been through worse."  
  
A loud siren made them all jump.  
  
"We should go give testimony to the police," said Erika, and they all got up and walked toward the front gate.  
  
***  
  
Police arrested Vincent Harding after giving him a Paralyze Heal, for the murder of Eric Gardener (the security guard), burglary, and, of course, for plotting to do... whatever it was. He wouldn't tell them, and they didn't bother trying to get it out of him. They took back the fire orb, put him in jail, and had a ceremony for Ash, Misty and Erika. They were all given certificates, signed by the mayor and several members of the police force and Pokemon league.  
  
The police also found a transmitter, providing a high-pitched sound with a frequency too high for human ears, with a range for a five-mile radius, hidden in the mechanisms of the Chocoball machine. Upon further investigation, they saw that the Ghost Pokemon, who normally guarded the fire orb, were so distressed by the loud noise that they couldn't carry out their duties properly, making it easy for Vincent, Melton and Anderson to steal it. The orb was placed back in its normal position with extra security.  
  
Ash thought about what he'd told Misty: today was the day he was to tell her how he felt about her. But every time they had a chance for an exchange of even a few words, someone would cut in, giving them thanks or congratulations. Eventually, caught up in the celebrations, both forgot.  
  
***  
  
(seven days later)  
  
"Ding dong ding, ding dong ding, doorbell, doorbell!" Misty didn't bother getting up from her comfortable couch beside the indoor pool, where she was busily typing on her laptop, back at the Cerulean Gym.  
  
Daisy stuck her head in the door. "Hey Miss Celebrity, you have another visitor!" But instead of saying it with her usual amount of jealousy and weariness- as she had for the last week, with resentment at the fact her baby sister was more popular than her, she was grinning and giggling.  
  
Misty sighed. "Okay, I'm going-"  
  
"No, no," Daisy cut her off hastily, "I'll just send him in here, shall I?" She shrugged, and Daisy ran back into the other room.  
  
About thirty seconds later, she heard the door open and close. She didn't bother looking up. The visitor cleared his throat.  
  
"H-hi, Misty," Ash said nervously. Misty looked up and smiled at him.  
  
"Hey Ash."  
  
"Look, Misty, you know how I haven't seen you in so long?"  
  
"Yeah- well, it's only been 8 days."  
  
"Yeah, but I realized I was supposed to answer you that question you asked after getting that TM."  
  
"Which?" she said, looking up curiously.  
  
"Do I like you now. I told you I'd tell you the day after, but what with all the commotion..."  
  
"That's right," said Misty thoughtfully. She closed her laptop, set it aside, and put her hands in her lap. "Well?"  
  
He took several steps toward her until he was standing right next to her. "My answer is..."  
  
She looked up at him. It must be yes, she thought. Why would he bother coming out here...  
  
"No, Mist." She looked at him disbelievingly, her big blue eyes filled with shock. He smiled.  
  
"But- but you-"  
  
"No," he continued, cutting her off, "I don't like you, Misty." He bent down and got a box out of his pocket. Leaning close to her face, he whispered, "I love you. And I always have." He gave her a sweet, quick kiss, set the box in her lap, smiled, and walked out of the room. She heard him say bye to her sister, and, numb, she opened the box.  
  
She gasped. In it was a beautiful diamond ring. A note fell out and the small piece of paper fluttered to the floor. Misty snatched it up and turned it over, her eyes scanning- but not believing- the words on the page. With trembling hands, she read it again, disbelief etched on every facial feature.  
  
Maybe there's a way I can make up for hurting you... Will you marry me? Love, Ash  
  
Abruptly, she got up off the couch and ran as fast as her legs would go, past an astonished Daisy, out to the front yard, where she flung open the door of Ash's car, put her arms around his neck, and gave him a kiss she'd been waiting for for five years.  
  
And yes- it took more than five seconds. His eyes, which had been big and surprised, fluttered closed as he deepened the kiss.  
  
When they finally broke apart, she looked at him breathlessly, her eyes sparkling. "Yes," she whispered, smiling. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you, Ash." He smiled.  
  
"Well," he said matter-of-factly, "I was counting on that. But," he said, untangling himself from her and opening his car door again, then going to her side and opening hers as well, "let's talk about this later, okay?" He led her into her house.  
  
"It's a perfect ending," murmured Daisy as they passed, and went to go call the Professor for them. She very much doubted they were going to be back any time soon.  
  
***  
  
^-^ That's it, the end, stop reading, go review. Yeah, fluffy, sappy, and everybody lives happily ever after.  
  
I have a few... okay, quite a lot... of thank-yous to give out to the reviewers, and here they are (wow, this is gonna take forever):  
  
Sarah/StarPikachu/StarPikachu2001, Violet Emeralds, Ryuko DragonHalf, takari shipper, Nova S., Crystal Arcanine, Shadow- I LUV Ash Ketchum, Erinperin, Wacky Witch, Godsturtle4, snitch boy, Dragon Empress, Aurora chan, Purrfect Kittie a.k.a Damita, Ruby, LaCosaDivina, AshFarley, Car, SakuraTsuki.theKawiiFireFairy, Gryphon Turboclaw, Virgo Writer, Mew, animegirl-mika, Slate-and-Pipi, Gameguardian2x, Mandy, mystic misty 54, stargazergrl21, Cherry Angel, Crystal Pika, Stardust, Joy-girl, DeathAngelHell, Tasha, psycho bird man, MionePotter14, Claire, Angelina, Lily, Different Perception, Paige, Delita Mukara Renorfetear, Neongene, Julia, Blondie, tmp, TaioraCrazedGirl, Seabeast...  
  
*whew* and that's all! Thank you to everyone... if I forgot you I'm really really sorry. I was actually thinking about writing a sequel to this... tell me what you think. Should I write a sequel?  
  
I'm sad to see the end of this fic cuz I liked writing it so much... and apparently you guys liked it too. After this, if I don't write a sequel to this, I'll probably finish a one-shot fic I have and after that, who knows? ^-^  
  
Until next time,  
  
*lavenderespeon* 


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